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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28960260">Please promise me you'll give it back (the heart I lost long ago)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voglioungufo/pseuds/Voglioungufo'>Voglioungufo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Uchiha Obito, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, M/M, No Uchiha Massacre, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Team as Family, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, really slow burn for the ships</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:22:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>50,956</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28960260</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voglioungufo/pseuds/Voglioungufo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Future!Naruto / Obito.</p><p>For a moment he thought he was facing a ghost. Those eyes, that hair and that posture ... belonged to a person Obito had known very well. But that person had died because of him.<br/>It couldn't be.<br/>"Who are you?" he then asked, a menacing growl.<br/>The ghost took another step forward, the fire drawing shadows on his serious face and lighting blue eyes bright with determination.<br/>"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he said, "and I'm from the future."</p><p>(...)</p><p>The man in front of him seemed to have been devoured by the world and spat out of hell, only to have been hastily and inaccurately put back together.<br/>"How ... why did you decide to trust Naruto?" Jiraiya asked him.<br/>Obito barely looked at him, grabbing a heavy black cloak instead. "Madara's plan is doomed to failure, I don't have much choice." He froze, as if he had been struck by a thought and frowned. "There is something about Naruto that makes me want to help him."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dai-nana-han | Team 7 &amp; Rookie Nine, Haruno Sakura/Hyuuga Hinata, Hatake Kakashi &amp; Uchiha Obito &amp; Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi/Yamato | Tenzou, Jiraiya &amp; Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Obito &amp; Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Obito &amp; Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Obito/Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Shisui &amp; Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>715</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story is already present on the site in an Italian translation (the prisoner of heaven). But I decided to republish it from scratch in English, changing some things and improving it. The chapters will be much shorter than the previous version.<br/>Ship development will be very slow indeed, as it is a long storyline with a lot of things to happen. But all those indicated in the tags will arrive, I promise.<br/>Naruto / Obito happens with Future! Naruto, while Sasuke / Naruto is with Naruto chibi of this timeline.<br/>In history you will find many clichés that are easy to find in many other fandom time travels. Having read all the available material I was obviously inspired by some of them. As well as some elements now "typical" of this genre in the fandom. However, I tried to create a plot as original as possible.<br/>Hope you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He did not remember the last time he had felt so exhausted, with his chakra close to exhaustion and the tiredness that numbed his limbs. Transporting himself with the kamui to that cave was the last effort he had made and, judging by the blood dripping on his cheekbone, his eye seemed to suffer.</p><p>Obito was so tired that he barely looked around. He knew that cave, a hole in a mountain located on the border of the Lightning Country, he had already used it other times as an emergency base after particularly violent battles. How's that. As much as he knew of his abilities, he had gone too far these last few weeks, not allowing himself a break, and now he was paying the consequences.</p><p>He would stay there for the night, long enough to sleep after a month of uninterrupted wakefulness and restore his chakra.</p><p>He lit a fire and gasped when the flames cast a humanoid shadow on the uneven wall in front of him, revealing that he was not alone in the cave. He stood up ready to face the probable threat, the little remaining chakra concentrated in the eye to see in the dark.</p><p>It was impossible that there was someone nearby and Obito hadn't noticed it, he had to be a shinobi particularly skilled in hiding his presence.</p><p>"Tobi ..." the stranger spoke and felt his breath stop. Whoever he was, he knew who he was.</p><p>The intruder took a step forward and, aided by the heat of the flames, his face was no longer a shadow on the wall.</p><p>For a moment he thought he was facing a ghost. Those eyes, that hair and that posture ... belonged to a person Obito had known very well. But that person had died because of him.</p><p>It couldn't be.</p><p>"Who are you?" he then asked, a menacing growl.</p><p>The ghost took another step forward, the fire drawing shadows on his serious face and lighting blue eyes bright with determination.</p><p>"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he said, "and I'm from the future."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The laughter left his throat mournful and rang through the cave before he could control it. He bent over himself with his shoulders, the red eye piercing the figure of the self-styled time traveler. He lowered his face, his eyes on the hand he had slipped onto the shuriken case.</p><p>"I'm not here to fight, Obito," he said calmly.</p><p>Being called by his birth name unsettled him a little, but he didn't let that phrase upset him.</p><p>"Obito? Tobi? You look confused as to what my name is. ”He mocked him. Absently he wondered if he should use Tobi's annoying personality.</p><p>The blond boy did not reply immediately, he preferred to sit cross-legged in front of the fire. Thanks to the light he could see that he was wearing gaudy and frayed orange robes, no headband indicating his loyalty to some village.</p><p>"Sometimes you used a third name," he muttered faintly, rolled his piercing eyes up at him. "But I know Madara died after training you."</p><p>The time traveler's option no longer seemed so absurd to him, not in the face of the knowledge that he knew of their alliance. Obito did not sit at the bonfire as he had suggested, he watched him intently once again, but his sharingan had already determined that it was not a genjutsu. So he really looked like a young man with unkempt blond hair, styled in that familiar way, soft features with cheeks crossed by three parallel scars each and two round blue eyes.</p><p>Uzumaki Naruto… Minato-sensei's brat.</p><p>"Time travel is impossible," he said mournfully.</p><p>The alleged Naruto laughed. "Yes, you already told me in the future. Yet here I am."</p><p>Obito narrowed his eye to the carefree tone, as if he were chatting with an old acquaintance over a cup of tea. He, on the other hand, had his nerves on edge and his muscles tense, ready for battle.</p><p>There was no way he could believe such an absurd thing.</p><p>"Why are you here?" he then asked.</p><p>The carelessness disappeared from the face of the other as he looked back at him, in the irises the deadly seriousness of an old soldier.</p><p>"I'm here to stop you from doing nonsense."</p><p>He held back an angry sound between his teeth. "What nonsense?"</p><p>"Tsuki no Me".</p><p>He remained silent, evaluating this new information. This man knew things that only he and Zetsu should have known. Even more, the time travel option did not seem impossible to him.</p><p>"What do you know about Tsuki no Me?" he growled defensively.</p><p>"Much more than you and Madara," he replied quietly. “I know it won't lead to what you hope for, no peace and perfect dreams. Only the destruction of this earth as we know it and the rebirth of an immortal being named Kaguya, the mother of the chakra ”.</p><p>His breath began to condense inside the mask, making it difficult for him to breathe.</p><p>"What are you saying?" Obito blurted out. "This is bullshit, Madara ..."</p><p>"Madara was wrong, he was manipulated, and when he managed to complete his plan I saw with my own eyes the return of this scary being" interrupted Naruto, his tone firm. “Tsuki no Me is a mistake. And you too will understand it in the future ”.</p><p>Obito snapped before realizing it. His fingers, however, did not slide on the shuriken, but on the last kunai he had left. He threw himself at the boy over the fire to hit him, but immediately felt himself blocked with violence. The backlash forced him to close his eyes and when he opened them he gasped, his grip on the kunai shaking to the point that he slipped out of his fingers.</p><p>A hand made of pure chakra had stopped him on the wrist just before he could hit Naruto's face, who had remained impassive in his place surrounded by a strong yellow light radiating pure power. The hand that had blocked him was connected directly to him.</p><p>Red eyes, no longer blue, and from his feral pupil pierced him, as if they could see him beyond the mask.</p><p>"I said I'm not here to fight," he replied sternly.</p><p>The chakra burned his skin, so Obito released the tension and backed away. Seeing him abandon the offensive pose, the chakra arm dissolved and allowed him to move away. He also chased away the chakra that had surrounded him, ceasing to shine and returning with the rumpled clothes he had introduced himself in.</p><p>Obito swallowed at the power that he had felt suddenly impregnate the air, such a chakra could only belong to the Kyūbi.</p><p>He wasn't lying, he really was Uzumaki Naruto.</p><p>"Will you listen to me now?" Naruto asked more kindly seeing him back away.</p><p>Still shaken by the adrenaline felt in that second, he nodded cautiously. The boy in front of him was powerful, while he was exhausted. Better indulge him and save his meager chakra reserves in case he has to rely on a quick escape with the kamui. Besides, if it really came from the future, what he had to say might deserve his attention.</p><p>He saw Naruto sigh in relief and relax his shoulder pose.</p><p>"Good. It will be very long and you won't believe half of the things I'm going to tell you, 'tebayo' he grumbled.</p><p>Obito raised an eyebrow, then sat down himself in front of the fire.</p><p>"I listen to you".</p><p>"Well," he began squinting, "in about eight years you will begin to systematically capture the Bijū, using the Akatsuki. You will be able to catch almost all of them, except Giyūki and Kurama ”.</p><p>"Which?" he asked him curtly.</p><p>Naruto seemed to flinch. "I mean Hachibi and Kyūbi, Giyuki and Kurama are their names".</p><p>"Name? Do they have a name? " he couldn't hide the surprise in his tone.</p><p>"Every Bijū has one," he replied and seemed resentful. "They are not objects or weapons, they are living beings with their own names and their own personalities and ..." He stopped and shook his head. "Later," he decreed, "let's go in order."</p><p>Obito found himself grateful to him, his brain was still getting used to the idea of having to accept that this boy in front of him was Uzumaki Naruto, the son of his sensei, when he knew that at the time the brat was six years old.</p><p>“Exactly, I said, only the two of them were missing. So you decided to wage war on the ninja nations to hand them over to you. I ... well, you know: I am Kurama's Jinchūriki and in the meantime I have trained to use his power and we have also started to collaborate. And even Killer B with Giyuki got along very well ... "</p><p>If this was Uzumaki's idea of order it was really very confusing and wrong. He cleared his throat, bringing him back on track. With an embarrassed look, Naruto started over, telling him about the Konoha of his childhood, his first missions with Team 7, the attack of Suna and the death of the Third Hokage, Sasuke's betrayal and his training with Jiraiya. He talked about the Kakashi team - a squeeze in Obito's heart boiling with anger - and their first fights with Akatsuki.</p><p>His voice cracked as he began counting the first deaths of that war that had just begun, including his master, and then moved on to his confrontation with Nagato immediately after learning the hermit art.</p><p>He was surprised to find that his current ally would betray him after being defeated by Naruto and convinced by his determination of him. He wanted to interrupt him to find out more, but he continued undaunted in telling the journey of Sasuke in the darkness, of Itachi and the massacre of the Uchiha, of how Obito would take advantage of it in his favor. He then arrived at the Kage summit where he would declare war on all major nations, uniting to oppose him in the Shinobi Alliance.</p><p>He then came to war.</p><p>At this point he could no longer try to interrupt him or discredit his words. Everything was described with clear clarity, a tangible pain in the blue irises and in the voice just trembling in front of the losses. He became convinced of this while he told him about his training to learn to control the Kyūbi chakra, Edo-Tensei and his approach with the captured Bijū.</p><p>Uzumaki Naruto really came from the future.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Prologue II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to all the people who are following the story, leave me a comment to let me know what you think!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto broke into a brief silence when it came to the moment when he, Obito, would become the Junchūriki of the Jūbi. He kept his eyes on the dancing of the flames for a few seconds before he spoke again.</p><p>“We didn't give up, of course. We continued to fight with all our strength and in the end we succeeded, we got close enough to grab the Bijū chakra inside you and start a… tug-of-war with the chakra ”. He looked back at him and Obito didn't understand the sadness in his eyes. "At that moment our chakras made contact and ... I saw your contempt for this world, your pain for Rin ..."</p><p>He winced and felt the still open wound burn, consume him from the inside.</p><p>"Don't you dare say his name ..." he hissed.</p><p>Naruto did not flinch at his contemptuous tone, he continued to stare straight into the only visible eye.</p><p>"I have to tell you the truth ..."</p><p>"I know what happened," he spat, interrupting him. "I know that she committed suicide for her choice of her, that they had transformed her into the Jinchūriki of the Sanbi ..."</p><p>"Isobou," he muttered. "His name is Isobou".</p><p>He did not listen to him. “I know she had to do it to protect Konoha, but that doesn't change anything. Indeed, it was this that opened my eyes to how wrong this world is, corrupt, a ... "</p><p>"Hell" Naruto completed for him.</p><p>"A world where people sacrifice for war and friends betray their promises cannot be real."</p><p>Naruto looked tired. "Yes, Obito, but this is only a part of the truth."</p><p>He bent again tense at those words.</p><p>"Haven't you ever wondered how the Mist could have a Bijū within reach, when Madara is one of the very few people who can capture and control them?" Naruto prodded him, awakening old doubts that he had always buried in his mind. “Having a Bijū is difficult, yet they decide to give it away by sealing it by pure fatality in the body of your teammate, who always by pure fatality came at a distance sufficient for you to reach her. Not counting the Zetsu" he added ironically," loyal to Madara yet decide to betray him conveniently letting you get when the tragedy " occurred.</p><p>Obito began to struggle to breathe as every single word sank into him.</p><p>"What do you want to tell me?" he asked him.</p><p>He knew the answer.</p><p>"Madara maneuvered everything so that you chose him and his plan."</p><p>Obito could barely hear it above the roar of blood all over his body, the beating of his heart in his ears ... a heart suddenly coming back to life to beat and bleed pure pain.</p><p>"No, that's not true," he murmured stubbornly. "Madara saved me, he showed me the truth, he trained me ..." <em>he worried about me</em>, he wanted to add, but those words seemed to get stuck in his throat.</p><p>The pain in blue eyes only made him feel more miserable.</p><p>"You were willing to kill your beloved sensei," he whispered. “You threatened me, his son, and later tried to kill your best friend… just for the sake of this plan. Do you think Madara would not have been ready to sacrifice anyway? "</p><p>He would have done it.</p><p>This was the right answer, he knew it all too well and perhaps a part of him had always had that doubt, the same one that Naruto had now slapped in the face. But he had always buried him, for the sake of the Tsukiyomi, because if he succeeded those lies would disappear, in favor of a perfect world.</p><p>If he was successful.</p><p>Obito felt like he was a thousand years old instead of twenty when he remembered Naruto's admonition about an immortal being named Kaguya.</p><p>"Then? What happened?" he asked tiredly.</p><p>“We… talked,” he murmured. “As we struggled for the Bijū chakra, we were able to see ourselves in our hearts. I understood you and decided I didn't want to fight you. You ... you gave up in the end. You let go of your grip ”.</p><p>"I gave up," he repeated.</p><p>He nodded. “Yes, you understood your mistake and wanted to fix it. You have decided to trust me ”.</p><p>"Of a little boy".</p><p>He laughed. "I am very persuasive. And I’m not <em>so</em> little, ‘tebayo".</p><p>Obito thought back to what he had also said about Nagato, about his betrayal, and shook his head in resignation.</p><p>"So? You won, what was that about Kaguya? "</p><p>Naruto sighed. “We didn't win. You have given up, but not Madara ”.</p><p>"You said he was fighting with Hashirama."</p><p>He nodded. “We had to seal him, but he preceded us. I told you? At that moment you had the rennegan… ”his voice trailed off and Obito understood what he was about to say.</p><p>"Rinne Tensei," he whispered. "I died and he is reborn".</p><p>He was surprised to see Naruto shake his head.</p><p>“Madara is reborn, but you are not dead. I guess you took advantage of your Hashirama cells and the black Zetsu, at that moment he was clinging to you to maneuver you in the technique… he gave you enough strength to live on”.</p><p>He nodded in relief. "Then?"</p><p>"Madara has taken back the Bijū we took from you, also ... Kurama" he murmured, one hand resting on his stomach to tighten his robes.</p><p>Obito was horrified. "But you are not dead."</p><p>He sighed. "Resistance Uzumaki and Sakura-chan, an excellent doctor to watch my back. I remained in a near-death state until you saved me”.</p><p>It took him more than a second to really understand his words. "Me?" he echoed in disbelief. "But…"</p><p>"My father had half of Kurama's chakra sealed within himself before he died." Naruto didn't blink. "While Madara did not understand that you had betrayed him, he believed you had only been defeated ... You managed to take him by surprise, even steal some of his Shukaku chakra ... I mean the Ichibi" he clarified to his vacant gaze, "and Gyūki, the Bijū I missed. At the same time you extracted Kurama's chakra from my father, you took me into the dimension of kamui and… <em>tadan</em>, here I am still standing ‘tebayo” he shrugged.</p><p>Obito stared at him in disbelief, all that was as absurd as time travel.</p><p>"Did I do all of this after performing Rinne Tensei?"</p><p>He didn't expect Naruto to give him a bright smile and wink at him.</p><p>"You're a cool guy."</p><p>He felt even more upset at that reaction, he decided to ignore it and move on. “So you came back to life. Then?"</p><p>"Well, it must be said that Sasuke wasn't doing very well in the meantime. Madara had stabbed him. ”Naruto confessed. "And while we were both in this near-death state, we met an ... interesting old man."</p><p>Obito was afraid to ask who.</p><p>"The Sage of the Six Paths!"</p><p>It was a little too much. He took off his mask with a dry gesture and took a long breath of air, both hands in front of his eyes.</p><p>"Now time travel is the least absurd thing," he muttered.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He listened to the rest with a mixture of disbelief and resignation. Obito already knew the story of Indra and Ashura, of their tour of reincarnations. Madara had told him, so he didn't struggle to follow him on that point. He was only surprised to find that Minato's son and one of Fugaku's brats would be the recipients of that cycle and that they would receive the full they could from the father of the shinobi.</p><p>At that point, Kaguya's rebirth didn't surprise him more than it should. However, he shuddered to find out and felt a profound shock as he realized that years of planning and sacrifice were doomed to total failure. He was not leading the world to peace, but to his downfall.</p><p>Naruto grew sadder and sadder, a long silence preceded his next words.</p><p>“The Tsuki no Me was activated immediately, those who could not save themselves were trapped in the technique. Within seconds, we had been decimated. All over the world, only us and a handful survived who had managed to escape from the reflected light of the moon. We fought against Kaguya ”.</p><p>"But you couldn't win," he guessed.</p><p>His blue eyes were stained with pain. “No, we couldn't. Kaguya transformed the shinobi captured in genjutsu into Zetsu and attacked us with them. We tried to resist, but the more of us fell, the more her army grew. Time travel was proposed almost as a joke, but ... it soon became the only solution".</p><p>Obito sighed. "How is it possible?"</p><p>Naruto laughed. "It's complicated. It is a space-time jutsu that works by combining hiraishin with kamui ".</p><p>He frowned at the mention of his Magekyo technique. "Explain yourself better".</p><p>He waved his hands. "What I'm telling you is the result of a brain-storming between you, my father, Kakashi and Orochimaru, I just learned how to do it." He paused, then continued. “Your kamui moves between dimensions and time is a dimension. Hiraishin is a teleportation technique that cancels time. But if you change the seal of time, if instead of instantaneity you insert a sign that goes to the past? "</p><p>"It wouldn't work," Obito muttered. "The hiraishin needs to mark the point of arrival".</p><p>"But the kamui is not".</p><p>He was silent, because it was true and suddenly all the pieces were fitting together in place. But…</p><p>"You don't have a Mangekyo sharingan".</p><p>He knew the answer even before Naruto sighed, before he put his hand inside his bag to pull out a glass container. Among the liquids were two perfectly preserved sharingan eyes.</p><p>"They're yours," he whispered. "Of you the future. He gave them to me before leaving ”.</p><p>"Why you?" he asked, his gaze fixed on that gruesome vision. Those eyes made the whole story more real, they were the final proof.</p><p>"Because I was the only one who had enough chakra to make the journey, while Sasuke had to keep Kaguya busy."</p><p>The pain in his eyes was tangible, like an overflowing waterfall. He stared at the container with the regretful sharingan.</p><p>"I didn't want to come here," he muttered. "I really hoped to be able to save my world, but ... now there was nothing left to save and we surrendered to the inevitable. But we could still fight ... maybe there was still a way to save them all ... But I'm here. I have abandoned them, this is the truth”.</p><p>Obito was silent for a long time, wondering how to respond to such a finding. Despite the absurdity of the situation, he believed him. He had never seen anyone else speak with such sincerity in his eyes, with such painful transparency. Ninjas usually tended to shield their emotions, making it impossible to guess their intentions. Instead this Naruto didn't care. He did not know if it was idiocy or a disproportionate trust.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he said finally.</p><p>He honestly did not yet know how to regard him, whether enemy or friend. He was here to stop him from what he said, but in his future they had been allies.</p><p>Naruto smiled. "It's oka ..." he stopped, bit his lip to keep from telling that lie. "It's crap," he admitted. "I spent days whining about what I lost before I realized that ... well, I couldn't. They died to give hope to this world, at this time, and they entrusted this hope to me. I can't stand on the sidelines and see the same future happen. I have to do what I couldn't do in my time. I can avoid war, save my precious people, protect the world of shinobi ... "</p><p>"From me," Obito murmured. "That's why you are here".</p><p>"Exactly," he admitted. "It was frustrating waiting for a moment when you were… predisposed to listen to me."</p><p>He immediately understood what he meant and was deeply disturbed. How long had Naruto followed him without him noticing? He had always remained in the shadows waiting for his moment of weakness in which he could not fight it.</p><p>"So?" he asked him flat. "Why didn't you just kill me?"</p><p>He realized he was not scared or angry at the idea of having reached the end of the line. His plan was a failure, he had spent the last few years getting his hands dirty with no chance of redemption. Everything he had done was no longer justifiable in honor of the Tsukiyomi. Everything he had done had been useless. The world was still rotten, but now it was also without solution. Dying was more acceptable, at least he would be reunited with Rin and he would no longer have to endure such a reality.</p><p>Naruto was confused at his question. "What?"</p><p>"Why waste time talking to me, you could have killed me right away."</p><p>"I don't want to kill you."</p><p>Yellow flames danced within blue eyes, agitated with agitation. Obito shook his head, incredulous that he was shaken at the idea of his death.</p><p>“I killed your parents, unleashed the Kyūbi on your Village and I am the reason for the monster inside you. From what you have said, I will bring the world to the brink of destruction after a terrible war. Why don't you just kill me? It is the simplest solution ”.</p><p>Naruto hardened his jaw grip, that hard line made him even more like Minato-sensei and it was difficult to maintain eye contact. It was like having his ghost in front of him.</p><p>"It's his simplest solution," he confirmed, "but not the right one."</p><p>A snort like a suppressed laugh left his lips.</p><p>"There are no right solutions, only convenient ones" he cut him short.</p><p>He ignored the exasperated warm light that shone in the other's eyes, as if he had heard a speech against which he had already fought and won.</p><p>“They exist, but they are the most difficult ones and for this reason they are rarely taken. We're lucky I'm stubborn enough to never give up, 'tebayo! " he assured with a confident smile. "I will not miss the opportunity to save you too and allow you to redeem your shares!"</p><p>"Redeem," he repeated and felt a pang of hatred awaken in his chest. “Redeem <em>what</em>? This world is rotten and corrupt to the core, it is in its nature, so why should I try? " he growled in the last sentence, Madara's speech still etched in his mind. Only in a dream could the shadows be erased, not in reality. The world, every single individual is dual and this could not be changed by sheer stubbornness.</p><p>"Because there are other good people who try every day," he replied confidently. “We all fight for peace. If you don't like this world, then change it ”.</p><p>"Every good person I have known has been killed, corrupted and destroyed," he did not let go. "You can't stay the same in hell. It has already been tried many times and what can you do, who have not already tried? Speak? Hashirama tried, but then he had to climb over corpses to have a temporary substitute for peace. "</p><p>"Just because nobody has ever succeeded before, it doesn't mean that I can't!"</p><p>Obito narrowed his eyes at the stubborn tone, full of a stubbornness that was reflected in all his expression. At that moment his eyes seemed to be pure determination.</p><p>"What can you do on your own ..." he hissed.</p><p>And, against all odds, Naruto smiled. He stretched his lips in such a genuine way as to be almost disarming, he couldn't remember the last time he saw someone smile like that.</p><p>"But I'm not alone" contradicted him sweetly. “I have Kurama with me”.</p><p>"You two alone then" he growled, as if that optimism was hurting him. “Men hate and fear the Bijū and their Jinchūriki. They will never listen to you ”.</p><p>"No, Obito, no" he shook his head in exasperation. “The Bijū are nine, you know well, and all of them have traveled with me. I had their chakra, ”he reminded him,“ and they remember what I remember. I have already checked, as soon as I jumped I found myself in the dimension shared by the Bijū ”.</p><p>Obito was tired of asking for information, but the more they talked the more he discovered things he didn't know.</p><p>"Shared dimension of the Bijū?" he echoed.</p><p>Naruto chuckled. “Well, it's like a huge empty room where the Bijū can meet to talk, regardless of their position. They can bring their own Jinchūriki too if they are friends enough. As soon as Kurama recovered we went there and everyone remembered. I took them back in time with me, because it is the chakra that can travel and the Bijū are beings of pure chakra ”.</p><p>He nodded without asking for further explanation. He didn't understand anything about how that time travel seal worked and the man was shit to explain himself.</p><p>“What I want to tell you,” Naruto continued, “is that we know what we want to avoid. Due to the Fourth War, the Bijū experienced mortality and their own annihilation. It's not something any of them are willing to repeat ”.</p><p>"Nothing changes," he murmured, threw his head back and squinted at the ceiling of the cave. “One, two, all nine… The Bijū are feared as a whole. None of them would be listened to ”.</p><p>Naruto was silent for a few seconds, as if to give him time to add more. Obito didn't, so he started slow: "The Bijū, the Jinchūriki ... we have always been used as a deterrent to war, but the truth is that it never worked because we Jinchūriki have always been despised, the Bijū used only as weapons . But if Jinchūriki and Bijū work together in a true partnership, like Kurama and me, there is nothing that can stop us. We will have the power to influence politics ”.</p><p>Obito raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. "It sounds eerily like a revolution."</p><p>He gave a little smile. "Wasn't this Akatsuki's initial goal?"</p><p>"That it failed," he replied more uncertain than he wanted to appear. “Every attempt at revolution has failed”.</p><p>“Because he never had the support and strength of the Bijū”.</p><p>Obito fell into a long contemplative silence, his gaze fixed on the fire but his mind busy processing what he had heard. As much as he was trying to counter the proposal, he was already working on figuring out how to proceed in a similar situation and was sifting through all his knowledge.</p><p>In the end, he had been convinced even before he knew it.</p><p>"How would you proceed?" he finally asked cautiously.</p><p>Naruto smiled and squinted at that concession, relaxed and looked at him eloquently.</p><p>“I should be asking you. You are the political expert of this period ".</p><p>He didn't smile back. "The Bloody Mist," he said. “I'm keeping control of Yagura, the Mizukage, but it's not just his cruel politics. Advisors and senior ranks, Daimyo himself… That's why it was so easy for me to maneuver him. Kiri has a history made of blood ”.</p><p>Naruto lowered his eyes, suddenly sad and melancholy. "Yagura was just a kid when he died in my time," he whispered.</p><p>"He's a violent madman," Obito said. “It has been since before he fell into my genjutsu. Kirigakure is a village corrupted to the bone. If you want to start changing the world, you have to start from there ”. He watched him intently, his black eye briefly shining crimson. "So how would you proceed?"</p><p>Naruto put a hand to his hair, pushed the long blonde locks from his eyes.</p><p>“I don't know exactly whether we're early or late, but in my timeline Momochi Zabuza attempted a coup against Yagura. Unfortunately he failed and became a nukenin ”. He bit his lip before continuing. “If it's not too late, we can help him. We will win this revolution and install a more reliable Mizukage ”. He saw him smile fondly. “I already have a person in mind, a tough girl who tried to erase Kiri's nightmare past. In my timeline she was the fifth Mizukage. I think you might like it ".</p><p>"There has already been the coup" Obito stopped him before he started planning too much. "The Mist Demon has already left the Village and is a nukenin."</p><p>Naruto's expression dropped. "Did I arrive too late for that too?"</p><p>Not necessarily, he considered. “Zabuza may have abandoned the village, but not his target. Now he is a mercenary with the demon brothers, looking for resources to try again the blow ”.</p><p>His interlocutor lit up again. "He would be great," he confirmed. "It means he has also already met Haku!"</p><p>Obito hadn't the faintest idea who Haku was, but he didn't care. He was continuing to plot, looking for flaws and possible solutions.</p><p>“I'll send Kisame to find him, they were part of the same team. He will certainly be able to find it ”.</p><p>He was surprised to see Naruto's wary gaze, but then he remembered what he had told him and realized that it must not be easy for him to trust Akatsuki's members.</p><p>“Kisame knows everything,” he said quietly. "Also of Tsuki no Me, he saw my face and followed me because he wants a world without lies".</p><p>Naruto nodded, but still had the stiff shoulder pose. He knew immediately why from the next whisper.</p><p>"Nagato ..."</p><p>He closed his eyes briefly, he understood what the uncertainty was in the traveler of the future. He had tricked Nagato into telling him that he was the reincarnation of the Sage of the Six Paths and the person who would bring peace to the shinobi world. Obito had said it to get him to do exactly what he wanted, what he had told him were all lies. How would he react to the mere news that the rinnegan was not his?</p><p>"I'll see," he finally said.</p><p>After all, it wasn't as if he really agreed to collaborate with this Uzumaki Naruto from the future. All they had exchanged was only a hypothesis on a probable but not already decided collaboration.</p><p>"I need time to think," he continued.</p><p>Naruto smiled. "And to sleep," he agreed in a sweet tone.</p><p>Maybe it was that gentle tone, but suddenly Obito felt calm, the adrenaline that had sustained him up to that moment despite his fatigue stopped pumping in his veins. He closed his eyes and found himself asleep before he knew it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Prologue III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>With a sigh, he admitted: "I don't want to abandon myself to hope and see me snatch it away again ..."<br/>Kurama rolled his ears, apparently amused.<br/>"It won't happen, not if Naruto promised you."<br/>"How can you be so sure?" he asked exasperated.<br/>The fox's grin exposed his fangs, but he didn't look threatening, just proud.<br/>"Because the kit never breaks his word," he assured him. "Because this is his ninja way."</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His eye widened and in the darkness of the cave shone the crimson stained by the black tomoi. Obito scanned the environment around, the fire was slowly dying and on the other side even Naruto was dozing recklessly. With a quick glance he made sure they were alone in the cave. Outside it had started to rain, he could hear the rumble of rain and thunder echoing from the entrance to the tunnel. It was impossible for him to understand how long he had slept, but he felt he had restored enough chakra to be able to try something.</p><p>He just didn't know what yet.</p><p>Silently he stood up and pointed his face at Naruto's sleeping body. In his sleep he seemed absolutely harmless, oblivious to his surroundings. If he wanted to escape, now was the right time. Even if he woke up in time, he could sow it with kamui.</p><p>Instead, Obito stared at him. From this close, he could also notice the similarities with Kushina. His colors were all Minato's, but his soft features were reminiscent of the woman's, and his fiery temper, from what little he had seen, was in perfect Uzumaki style.</p><p>Maybe he stared at him for too long with the sharingan active and Naruto must have realized something, because he suddenly opened his eyes. But instead of mirroring himself in the blue pools he had become accustomed to, he immersed himself in a blood-red iris.</p><p>The next second he felt his sharingan activate and found himself in a place that was not the cave where he was hiding. With his senses alert, he looked around, wondering what this place was that looked so much like a sewer, with shallow water reaching his ankles and pipes running through its entire structure. The continuous dripping of water was suddenly interrupted by a growl.</p><p>Obito winced and before he knew it he found himself facing a hairy muzzle with two huge ruby eyes, the pupil as sharp as that of a demon. He took a step back at the sight of Kyūbiko's grandeur.</p><p>"<strong>Uchiha ...</strong>" growled the monster, cutting the air around him with a tail.</p><p>Obito prepared to get into an attack position, but the huge dark-furred fox moved away and his attention was caught by one of the tails. It was rolled up in itself, as if to form a nest, on which Naruto's mental image was nestled. He was asleep, just like his physical counterpart, and Obito realized that if he could afford to doze off so carelessly it was because of the beast watching over him.</p><p>"Kyūbi" he replied, remembering the last time he had met him. At the time he had managed to force him into his he genjutsu, but he suspected that this time he would not succeed. Besides, he hadn't regained enough chakra.</p><p>The fox narrowed his eyes in annoyance and showed his fangs.</p><p>"<strong>Naruto told you my name, use it</strong>."</p><p>He looked back with equal suspicion, but finally conceded:</p><p>"Kurama".</p><p>The demon, however, did not abandon his offensive posture. His tails continued to move nervously, as if ready to be thrown at him to sweep him away.</p><p>"<strong>So, have you made your decision?</strong>" Kurama prodded him.</p><p>Obito lowered his eyes to the boy nestled in his fur. "I do not know. He seems too naive to me, the world cannot be changed with only optimism ”.</p><p>Unexpectedly, laughter left the beast's fangs.</p><p>"<strong>You're talking about Naruto, the brat who calls the Bijū by name and treats them as friends</strong>," he warned him. "<strong>You will not believe how much he can be able to surprise you.</strong>"</p><p>He shook his head. “Sooner or later he too will be broken from this world, just like it happened to me. Madara has only accelerated the pace, but it is something inevitable ”.</p><p>The demon mocked him again, squinting contemptuously.</p><p>“<strong>You Uchiha are all stubborn mules. You brag so much about your eyes and then you don't even know how to use them</strong> ”he spat. "<strong>Naruto told you his story about him, what he went through since childhood because of me, all his losses, the war ... yet nothing broke him. And don't think I haven't tried to tempt him! You don't know how many times I've tried to push him to let go to destruction, I've tried for years to make him give in to his inner anger and see how it ended </strong>" he grumbled. “<strong>Not just with me. You too, during the war, tried to break his determination and bring him to your side… and in the end it was you who passed by him</strong>. <strong>At the end you loved him, gave him your eyes</strong>”.</p><p>Obito made an uncertain grimace, he didn't even realize he was blushing.</p><p>“<strong>And even if you are still not convinced: your future war has destroyed Konoha and killed his friends, yet now he is here to offer you a collaboration without thinking twice. He still trusts you. If you want to hope to change this world, Naruto is the trump card and you must have realized it. So, Uchiha brat, tell me what the real problem is</strong>” he finished threateningly.</p><p>Obito felt frighteningly like a scolded child, but he didn't comment on that tone. His eye was on Naruto, a grimace had appeared on his face and he seemed about to awaken.</p><p>
  <em>Trump card, mh?</em>
</p><p>With a sigh, he admitted: "I don't want to abandon myself to hope and see me snatch it away again ..."</p><p>Kurama rolled his ears, apparently amused.</p><p>"<strong>It won't happen, not if Naruto promised you.</strong>"</p><p>"How can you be so sure?" he asked exasperated.</p><p>The fox's grin exposed his fangs, but he didn't look threatening, just proud.</p><p>"<strong>Because the kit never breaks his word</strong>," he assured him. "<strong>Because this is his ninja way</strong>."</p><p>He snorted incredulously at that answer, but by now Naruto was awake and could not reply anything to the fox.</p><p>"Ohi" yawned the boy coming down from his nest. “You weren't fighting, were you? You must excuse him, Kurama doesn't like you Uchiha ... "</p><p>Obito did not reply as he approached trampling the water with strides. When Obito found him in front of him he noticed that he was a few centimeters above him. Naruto was smiling genuinely at him, his eyes full of confidence as if he already knew Obito's answer.</p><p>"Then?" he asked anyway at the end extending his hand. "You are with me? You will help me?"</p><p>Obito stared at the hand, still a little prodded by uncertainty. But then he sighed, realizing that if he wanted to escape he would have done it sooner. If it didn't happen it was because he wanted to believe him.</p><p>He grabbed his hand. "I do".</p><p>Naruto's smile expanded, seemed to light up all with joy and returned the squeeze with force. But then he closed his eyes and seemed to die suddenly, a bitter furrow between his twitched eyebrows.</p><p>Obito didn't even have time to be surprised at that sudden change that something pierced him in the chest. It was so fast that the pain came after him, when he slumped forward without strength and with blood dripping from the corner of his lips. He smelled the nauseating smell of the chakra that burned his artificial skin.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Obito" was the last thing he heard. "I'm sorry".</p><p>Then he collapsed into the darkness, the light of that smile faded into unconsciousness.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A bit shorter chapter this week, sorry! Especially since it ends in suspense. But fear not, Obito is fine, anyone who has already read this part in Italian can confirm it.<br/>In the next one we will have a time skip and an old acquaintance will make an appearance :D<br/>Thanks so much for the comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Uzushio's ghosts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"What should I do?" Jiraiya asked, pulling him out of his thousand thoughts.<br/>Honestly, he didn't know. The information available to them was too little, they did not know exactly what crimes against Iwa they had committed to end up in the bingo book and what their intentions were with Konoha.<br/>"I'd like you to investigate," he finally said. "I want more information about them and to know why, if this man is really an Uchiha, he is not here with his clan. I want a description of their appearance and their abilities, I want to know what their bond is with Kiri and above all I want to know their intentions towards Konoha ”.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiruzen was worried.</p><p>That morning he smoked as usual from his faithful pipe looking out of the large window of the Hokage office. It was a beautiful sunny day, spring was beginning to make its appearance with a clear, cloudless sky that didn't respect his mood at all. From his height he could see the full streets of his village, the civilians walking carefree in their chores and the children playing ninja jumping on the roofs of the houses. Since the Kyūbi attack, all of Konoha had now been put back on its feet and it was since then that there was a relative air of peace, at least in the Region of Fire. He couldn't say that other nations were just as quiet.</p><p>Rumors had reported the turbulent revolution that had taken place in Kiri and many other sudden actions in Kumo and Iwa, while in Suna safety had increased due to an accident with their Jinchūriki. A turbulence that seemed to have affected every country except their own.</p><p>He blew out some smoke. This was suspicious.</p><p>But his concern did not stem only from these considerations. No, it had a much more concrete character and was on the little book held in the hands of his pupil.</p><p>He waited a few more seconds before Jiraiya lifted his face from Iwa's bingo book.</p><p>"Since when?" he asked him.</p><p>His question could have had many meanings, but Hiruzen understood it immediately. He turned, facing him with apparent calm.</p><p>“Apparently for a week. Iwa classified these two missing ninja a week ago," he specified, took another drag on his pipe. “But apparently there are actions that can be amortized for many months before. Some say they are also behind Kiri's revolt almost two years ago ”. He peered at the sannin. "You didn't know anything about it?"</p><p>"I had heard rumors," he commented evasively. “All sorts of nonsense, even about an alleged Minato ghost hanging around. But yes, I had heard of the presence of two new S-class nukenins ”.</p><p>Hiruzen raised his eyebrows, increasing the creases of his forehead in his incredulous expression.</p><p>"And have you ever thought of coming to tell me?"</p><p>Jiraiya made an impatient expression. "In this period the nukenins jump out like mushrooms" he justified angrily, "and I didn't know it was <em>an Uchiha</em>".</p><p>At those words the Sandaime returned troubled, that was the main reason why the news had come to his attention. After all, as Jiraiya had said, nukenins were not uncommon in that period of political reorganization.</p><p>He picked up the bingo book, almost hoping that new information would appear on the pages. Obviously, it didn't happen.</p><p>Of the two ninjas classified, only one had a physical description, but it was in vain since it spoke only of a masked man. Apparently the only thing that could distinguish him was his sharingan, which led him to the Uchiha, then to Konoha. On the other hand, there was absolutely nothing of his companion, except a well-marked S.</p><p>Hiruzen wondered how other nations would have waited to amputate the raids of these two new nukenins to Konoha, because it was the home of the Uchiha clan.</p><p>
  <em>As if they weren't giving me too many problems already ...</em>
</p><p>"What should I do?" Jiraiya asked, pulling him out of his thousand thoughts.</p><p>Honestly, he didn't know. The information available to them was too little, they did not know exactly what crimes against Iwa they had committed to end up in the bingo book and what their intentions were with Konoha.</p><p>"I'd like you to investigate," he finally said. "I want more information about them and to know why, if this man is really an Uchiha, he is not here with his clan. I want a description of their appearance and their abilities, I want to know what their bond is with Kiri and above all I want to know their intentions towards Konoha ”.</p><p>He ignored the obvious resentment in his pupil's eyes. He realized for himself that what he was asking for was a lot.</p><p>"I'll take care of it." Jiraiya finally conceded with the same humility of an emperor. "I will sacrifice some time from my research, but I will".</p><p>Hiruzen rolled his eyes at the thought of his search.</p><p>"If I find them," Jiraiya added again seriously, "what should I do?"</p><p>He snorted smoke in front of the obvious question that didn't have an equally obvious answer.</p><p>"If this man is really an Uchiha, we have a duty to welcome him to the village," he mused. "Obviously if their intentions were aggressive towards us ... eliminate them," he said shortly.</p><p>Grade S or less, Jiraiya was one of the Sannin. He trusted his judgment as much as he trusted his abilities, he would have no difficulty in dealing with them. He took his pipe out of his mouth and went to sit behind the desk, where he began to clean it mechanically.</p><p>"Needless to say, I don't want this mission to reach the ears of other nations," he said, focused on action.</p><p>Jiraiya looked offended. "Who do you think I am?" he protested before disappearing in a pop of white smoke.</p><p>Hiruzen did not get upset at the leave without his permission, the years passed but Jiraiya remained his most insubordinate student. His lips stretched an amused smile at the thought of another insubordinate child who, he was certain, was wreaking havoc in the village at that moment with one of his pranks.</p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Jiraiya didn't leave Konoha right away. Before preparing to leave, he passed into a poor and run-down apartment. He entered without any effort finding it, as he had imagined, empty. The son of his pupil must have been around somewhere.</p><p>As every time, he sighed in front of the neglect of the house and frowned at the expired milk, the dirty laundry on the floor and the only boxes of instant ramen in the pantry. He soothed the anger in his stomach and repeated in his mind that everything was needed to protect him, that if he took him under his wing Iwa would find out about his existence. Nobody had to know of the existence of the Fourth Hokage's son and therefore had to stay away from him for the same safety as him.</p><p>But, well, that didn't stop him from leaving him gifts from time to time. From the blanket on the bed she could make sure the brat appreciated his frog-patterned gifts. Satisfied, then he sank his hand into his travel bag and fished out a green purse, looking like a round toad. He put it on the table and regretted the knowledge of not being able to see the reaction of the godson.</p><p>With one last look, he jumped on the roof and from there ran to the gates of the village. Only once outside did he summon a toad that could carry him. He was not very discreet, but definitely worthy of his status as a charming hermit.</p><p>He sighed in exasperation when Gamaho gave him an incredulous tearful look, as if he were seeing a ghost in his summoner. Jiraiya preferred not to comment and angrily climbed onto his back. It had been two years now that every toad he conjured up looked at him with that mixture of incredulity and sadness, as if he were dead and risen.</p><p>He shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest.</p><p><em>Toads</em>, he commented, <em>weirdos</em>.</p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Another month of continuous holes in the water had to pass before Jiraiya could find a valid track. It had been given to him by a trusted contact from the Land of Waves, so he was very confident that it would take it to the two wandering ninja. He had been very surprised to find that at the moment they were in the ruins of Uzushio. The reason they were there was something that eluded him, but in fact he trusted track of him and even his instinct to him told him that this was the right time.</p><p>It was a bit difficult to find a passage to the island, no one seemed to want to reach it. They said that lately it was inhabited by restless ghosts. Those rumors had strengthened his belief, he had no doubt that the alleged ghosts were in fact the two nukenins.</p><p>Eventually he managed to rent a boat. During the voyage by sea he pondered the latest discoveries about the two. He had collected here and there conflicting descriptions about the alleged companion of the Uchiha, but some had disturbed him a lot since they bore an incredible resemblance to the Yellow Flash of Konoha. He then had to scale back his confidence in being able to beat them, since they turned out to be stronger than expected. Of course, this if it was true that they had clashed with the Tsuchikage and the ex-Mizukage.</p><p>From the information gathered, however, he could have a certainty: they had played a more than decisive role in the recent coup in Kiri and on the establishment of the new Mizukage, Mei Terumī. He knew that this latest news had particularly upset Sandaime when he reported it, even though he did not know why. Diplomatic relations with Kiri had improved since the new Mizukage took office, and that coup had been an advantage in this respect.</p><p>He could, however, share the Hokage's concerns about these two unknown individuals, although he had to admit to himself that he was a little excited to meet them after searching for them for so long.</p><p>He docked in Uzushio in the afternoon, the sailing had been calm and thanks to the use of the chakra he was able to govern the sea currents that protected the island.</p><p>When he went down to the beach he stood for a second in contemplative silence, looking at the outline of the remaining ruins. His heart contracted in a feeling of pain and shame at the sight of the destroyed Allied city. Approaching the center of him he could see that time had only increased the desolation of that ghostly place, the rubble was still scattered in the street in a mosaic of crumbling buildings. Yet there was a time when Uzushio had been a splendid city.</p><p>He sighed and closed his eyes, did his best to ward off the shadows of the past and instead struggled to detect any chakra in the area. He was surprised to spot them right away, when he was already resigned that it would take time and concentration. They had managed to escape international radar for nearly two years since their debut, he didn't expect it to be so easy to locate them, as if they weren't even trying to hide.</p><p>He was shocked to realize that both chakra signatures were monstrous, they were certainly not just any ninja.</p><p>Once he found the spot, he began to move through the rubble towards a relatively clean part of the village, to a square where the carcass of a dry, salt-encrusted fountain towered. Jiraiya remembered that fountain, its beauty and its continuous gushing of water. Now it was just the shadow of the past, just like the rest of the city.</p><p>With a sigh, he left the square to head for a building. It was a half-collapsed turret, but the chakra signature he'd felt came from inside. He didn't trust entering an unknown enclosure where he might have some disadvantage, but he had no choice.</p><p>Inside it was bright, the sun filtered through the missing roof and allowed him to see everything with extreme clarity. His senses were on alert, but he jumped in surprise when something rained from the other, landing in front of him as silent as a cat.</p><p>A person.</p><p>For a moment Jiraiya gasped as he saw that long blonde hair and clear eyes in a joyful face he knew too well. He froze, shocked to see <em>the ghost of Minato</em> in front of him. But before he could think of any thoughts, the ghost before him cheered:</p><p>"Ero-sennin!"</p><p>Whatever he was thinking, it vanished. Outraged Jiraiya looked at him with his eyes bulging.</p><p>"<em>Excuse me</em>?!"</p><p> </p><p>His protest went unheeded, but to tell the truth the ghost in front of him didn't even have time to reply before his companion literally appeared out of nowhere. It was only thanks to the reflexes gained in his long life as a ninja that Jiraiya managed to get down in time to avoid first a flying kick in the face, then an attack on his side. His body was in battle gear even before he knew it, but he couldn't possibly avoid the sucking sensation he felt. The second after he found himself without knowing how back in the square with the fountain.</p><p>A space-time technique, he achieved by placing himself in a defensive position. It didn't take long for the ninja who had attacked him to appear before him, his hands already joined to form seals. From the spiral orange mask covering his face he recognized him as the mysterious Uchiha. Immediately afterwards a shower of fiery bullets rained down on him. Jiraiya didn't worry too much, he immediately began channeling the chakra to a wall of water, which blocked them before they got too close. But the Uchiha knew how to take advantage of the steam that the impact released. Jiraiya had to jump back to see the figure of him in the fog approaching in a frontal attack.</p><p>He found the direct attack silly, which weakened his defense, but Jiraiya didn't waste too much time thinking about it, determined to take advantage immediately. The chakra began to swirl fast in the palm of his hand more and more visible, to form the rasengan. Jiraiya reached out to hit him in the shoulder just as he was close enough to do it, but… he slipped past. At the moment Jiraiya thought he had missed him - which was impossible - but then his surprise increased when he, unable to stop the momentum, crossed him from side to side.</p><p>What? Intangibility?</p><p>Too surprised by what had just happened he was unable to react promptly to the next attack by the enemy. It was with dismay that he found himself forced into defense, attempting to resist and failing to overcome every blow. In the only hole in the mask, he saw the sharingan shine with a sanguine light, the black united in a three-pointed geometric figure that he was sure he had already seen somewhere.</p><p>"Obito! Stop! "</p><p>The blood froze in the veins to hear the name of the child Uchiha, a pupil of Minato, who died during the last war. Jiraiya wondered if he was really fighting with a ghost, given his inability to hit him. He made the mistake of getting distracted, pointing his eyes towards the entrance of the building: the ghost of Minato had gone out and he was trying to reach them.</p><p>Jiraiya realized too late that he was wrong to concede that gash in his defense, but no blows came. Taking advantage of that missed opportunity, Jiraiya leapt backwards, only to be paralyzed again when he realized that his opponent had been blocked by a huge hand of yellow chakra that started from the body of Minato's ghost. He stared at that shocked chakra, recognizing it immediately, while the ghost withdrew his hand to force the Uchiha trapped beside him.</p><p>"It's ero-sennin!" he screamed altered. "He is not an enemy!"</p><p>Jiraiya was so shocked to see the Kyūbi chakra that he didn't even notice the outrageous way he had been called. He returned tense, however, when the Uchiha slipped away from the grip of the chakra hand, he did not lower the pose even when he saw him remain at his partner's side. Which, meanwhile, had dissolved the golden chakra around him.</p><p>"Yo" he greeted embarrassed, a finger under his nose.</p><p>Jiraiya didn't let himself be enchanted.</p><p>"Who are you?" he barked.</p><p>The answer came like a train.</p><p>"Uzumaki Naruto from the future at your service, dattebayo!"</p><p>... The ghost option seemed much more probable.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's the real first chapter of this story! It's a bit like the classic chapter of time travel, where the Hokage sends someone to investigate the new ninja who appeared out of nowhere lol I chose Jiraiya because he was the right person, certainly the only one to whom Naruto would tell the truth about time travel &lt;3 In the next chapter we will have some feels!<br/>Thanks to those who commented and I invite you to continue doing it. Reading your impressions helps me a lot!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tale of future past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Obito closed his eyes resigned to the scenic way his traveling companion had to introduce himself, he could only feel pity for the sannin in front of him and for his jaw that almost touched the floor. He was also very surprised that Naruto had discovered the card right away, without any hesitation, when he had had to beg him for days for him to tell the truth to Kisame.</p><p>"This is impossible, you are lying!" Jiraiya shook himself with a red face. "Uzumaki Naruto is seven years old and is now in Konoha!"</p><p>"What part of the future is not clear to you, old man?" he muttered with more annoyance than he wanted, pretended not to notice the irritated look Naruto gave him.</p><p>"Why don't we all sit down and relax?" he proposed lively. "There is so much to talk about".</p><p>His attempt at peace was obviously not accepted.</p><p>"Time travel is impossible".</p><p>Obito found himself even more irritated by that distrust, but he knew he couldn't blame it. He too had been so skeptical and aggressive when he first heard it. It just… it was annoying.</p><p>He envied the calm of Naruto who, despite a tired sigh, sat placidly on the ground cross-legged in an invitation to imitate him. Neither he nor Jiraiya imitated him and it made him roll his eyes.</p><p>"You're right, now no one has been able to handle a space-time seal of this magnitude," confirmed Naruto, running his tongue to wet his lips. “But in eleven years in the future I will be able to create one and… activate it”.</p><p>"Do you have a way to prove it?" was the first thing that obviously replied the sannin.</p><p>But Naruto's answer was less obvious. With an amused smile he said:</p><p>"I know your next book you are going to write will be called <em>Icha Icha Innocence</em> and it will be about pure love."</p><p>Obito could see the shock in the small dark eyes as his entire broad face whitened. He considered that if there were any flies nearby, the old ninja would surely have caught them as he had opened his mouth.</p><p>"I just released Violence," Jiraiya stammered. "I haven't even talked about the next project with my publisher."</p><p>Naruto crossed his arms and lifted his chin in satisfaction. "Do you believe me now?"</p><p>"It's too absurd," he remained recalcitrant.</p><p>Naruto's satisfaction evaporated. "Will you at least listen to me?" he asked him.</p><p>Obito felt stared briefly, but then Jiraiya's eyes returned to the boy sitting on the ground.</p><p>"Yes, I can do it" he confirmed, sitting down as well.</p><p>At this point, he was the only one standing. Feeling Naruto's eyes on him he sighed and sat down on the dusty square in turn. He also took off his mask, acknowledging his companion's unspoken request, he knew he hated it when he wore it.</p><p>Jiraiya winced when he discovered his features, his eyes on the scars that marred the entire right side of his face.</p><p>"You ... you really are Uchiha Obito" he observed with his eyes clouded by something he could not decipher. "We thought you died in Kannabi."</p><p>He could clearly hear the underlying question in those words, but he remained silent. He didn't know where he was going to start Naruto, but he would eventually get his answer.</p><p>"Um, ero-sennin ..." Naruto buzzed to get the old man's attention and he could see the exact moment when the realization made him explode.</p><p>"Can anyone know why you call me that unworthy ?!"</p><p>Obito struggled to hold back a grin, while Naruto let out a crystalline laugh without restraint.</p><p>"What? Because you are a perverted hermit of course! "</p><p>At least Jiraiya had the decency to look embarrassed.</p><p>"I…"</p><p>“The first time we met,” Naruto interrupted, “I caught you spying on naked women at the spa! And to convince you to train I had to use the Sexy no jutsu! "</p><p>Obito did not know that part of the story and could not stop himself from arching an eyebrow.</p><p>"Sexy no jutsu?" he echoed.</p><p>"I turn into a beautiful naked woman," he explained lightly.</p><p>Of course, that clarified everything, like what such a technique was for and why it was invented. On the contrary, Jiraiya seemed very interested in the idea of such a technique, but he didn't ask for anything. Instead he asked exasperated:</p><p>"Who the hell are you ?!"</p><p>"I told you!" he protested. "Uzumaki Naruto from the future!"</p><p>From here he began to explain. Obito narrowed his eyes and leaned against the wall of the house in a seemingly relaxed pose, but remained alert and with the sharingan glinting between his lashes. He paid no attention to Naruto, who without much preamble spoke of Kaguya's awakening and his monstrous power, how the divinity had brought all the ninja nations to their knees. How the situation was so desperate that there was no choice but to create a seal that would take him back in time to prevent the disaster.</p><p>Jiraiya was attentive, particularly interested in the seal and its technique, his eyes sparkling with fascination. From his information, among the three sannins he was the seal expert, it was quite obvious that he was so involved. Naruto found it difficult to answer his particular questions as an expert, but somehow the two seemed to understand each other and Jiraiya listened in admiration. But his attention was clouded by a bitter light, by the knowledge that their world was destined for a terrible end.</p><p>Finally there was a long silence.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Jiraiya said sincerely. "I believe you ... even if, heck, this story is so absurd!" He shook his head, then looked back at him. "What are you going to do? And why are you with him? "</p><p><em>That he should be dead</em>, he didn't say but Obito could hear that unspoken anyway. He pursed his lips and looked at him more carefully, now came the hard part.</p><p>“They sent me back to save the world,” Naruto began, “And that's what I'll do. I will do anything to avoid the Fourth Ninja War and the rebirth of Kaguya ”.</p><p>He sighed, Naruto absolutely had to review his way of giving certain news. He was not surprised that Jiraiya rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time in less than an hour.</p><p>"Fourth War?!"</p><p>"Um, let's say that Kaguya was able to return thanks to this war that ..." Naruto scratched the back of his neck embarrassedly. "I would make you aware of many things, do you think you ... can handle it?"</p><p>Jiraiya narrowed his eyes, as if he were challenging him to something he absolutely couldn't back down.</p><p>"Tell me".</p><p>And Naruto began, telling his story from the beginning, the same one that Obito had asked him to repeat several times in that year and a half. Again he paid attention, although he had come to know her by heart. He didn't know why it was so important to him to hear it repeated, maybe it worked as a kind of reminder. Perhaps he was simply curious about those memories of a future that will no longer exist. He just knew that he would never tire of listening to him over and over again, despite the pain he caused him. But Naruto's fiery, luminous will every time he told that story warmed him like direct sunlight, it was pleasant. That unshakable confidence in himself made him want to try it in turn.</p><p>Jiraiya was a good listener and Obito wondered if he too had that wonder in his eyes the first time Naruto had told him his story. The old hermit of the toads listened in silence without intervening, only rarely interrupted him for a clarification. A warm light shone in his dark eyes when the time came for their future meeting and training together. Naruto also seemed moved as he spoke, but also deeply melancholy. A melancholy that thickened more and more continued.</p><p>He read Jiraiya's upset when he learned of the fate of Ame's three orphans and gasped as he came to his death.</p><p>Naruto stopped, his eyes wet and an expression full of regret.</p><p>"Ero-sennin ..." he whimpered as if he wanted to apologize.</p><p>But his one shook his head. "Go on," he urged him.</p><p>Despite himself Obito found himself admiring the man's stoicism, but the rest was a ninja and every ninja is called to accept his own death when it presents itself.</p><p>Jiraiya listened silently to the rest of the story, knowing that he was no longer a part of it. He frowned a little to find out about the future Uchiha massacre, the choice of Itachi and the consequent path in the darkness of Sasuke.</p><p>But the reaction he made when Naruto began to tell about him, Obito, the man behind the mask and the attack on Konoha by the Kyūbi, was much more violent. He was immediately aware of the danger and his kamui was already active when Jiraiya pulled out a kunai and threw it at him. Naruto gasped and tried to react, but he didn't make it anyway and the kunai went through him falling to the ground.</p><p>"Ero-sennin!" he yelled in alarm.</p><p>Jiraiya was on his feet, ready to attack. "He's the killer of Minato and Kushina!"</p><p>Obito in turn was in a defensive position, he had held himself ready for that moment. He knew well that the hermit would not be calm to hear that part of the story. In fact, his reaction was much more obvious than Naruto's, who physically intervened between the two.</p><p>"Don't fight," he growled menacingly.</p><p>Obito could feel how close he was to sporting Kurama's chakra, in a clear manifestation of power and dominance. It was no secret that Naruto would be the one who would do the striped ass to both of them if they started fighting. For this he relaxed the threatening pose and rotated the kamui until he was once again the normal sharingan.</p><p>On the contrary, Jiraiya did not give an ounce.</p><p>"He's the killer of your parents," he hissed once again with his eyes fixed on his target.</p><p>"Technically it wasn't him, my parents died while they were sealing Kurama ..."</p><p>Jiraiya narrowed his eyes even more at that sentence.</p><p>"You speak too fondly of a demon," he warned him.</p><p>That was the wrong thing to say. Kurama's chakra suddenly covered him, in all his power, creating a cloak on his shoulders that shone with a dangerous and overwhelming power, which forced Jiraiya to take a step back.</p><p>"Kurama is my friend," Naruto growled. "My best friend, the companion of my life".</p><p>“He destroyed the village, killed innocent people”.</p><p>"Because you have treated him like a weapon for centuries, imprisoning him in children who were hated and feared!" he screamed louder. “You can't blame his anger, or Obito's. If he did it, it was also because of what happened! It's not his fault!"</p><p>Contrary to the words just spoken, Obito felt the sense of guilt knock him down to the point of bending his shoulders. He was still in disbelief how Naruto could so calmly stand his defense after all he had (and in another future he would) do.</p><p>With a sigh, he completely withdrew the sharingan, the petrol-colored irises again, and sat back on the ground. With his hand he held his face as he pinned his elbow to one leg.</p><p>"It was my fault," he said, catching Naruto's attention who turned to look at him in profile. "You know I meant to."</p><p>He did not observe the reaction they had to his words, he only knew that Naruto dispersed the Bijū mode and the warm golden chakra stopped lighting up the surrounding environment. With the setting of the afternoon sun on the square the shadows of the ruined buildings had lengthened.</p><p>"You're right," Naruto said. "But one person taught me the importance of breaking the cycle of hatred and he believed in me, he knew I would be able to. So yeah, Kurama is my best friend and I won't let you two fight. ”</p><p>At those words, Obito stopped paying attention to the shadows and looked up again at the other two. As soon as he did, Jiraiya dropped the aggressive pose, but not the suspicious look. He seemed almost upset, perhaps he recognized his desire for him in the words of the boy from the future.</p><p>"Break the cycle of hatred" he repeated bitterly.</p><p>Naruto must have considered it a victory and relaxed his shoulders.</p><p>"Do you want to hear the rest?" he asked sweetly.</p><p>He returned to have the hermit's attention, this time he nodded a little more cautiously and in the same cautious way he sat down again. Naruto imitated him soon after and picked up where he left off, as if nothing ever happened.</p><p>This time Obito did not listen to him, perhaps because it was the part of the story he liked least. He focused only on Naruto's voice, not caring that the words he uttered made sense.</p><p>When Jiraiya winced in shock he imagined he had come to the story of the old man of the Six Paths.</p><p>"You still have…?" he asked him curious.</p><p>Naruto shook his head. "There is already a reincarnation of Ashura in this timeline and it's not me. I am just an intruder, a mistake. As soon as I landed here I lost the old man's Rikudo Senjutsu, it's not me waiting for ”.</p><p>"I thought the chakra was traveling with you," Jiraiya objected.</p><p>“Not this type of chakra, this can only be inherited from the legitimate incarnation. But otherwise, yes: mine, that of the Bijū and that of the toads ... "He stopped and Obito immediately understood why.</p><p>Jiraiya's expression was nothing short of hilarious, as if he had just accomplished something important.</p><p>"So, let me understand," he recapitulated, "not only do the Bijus have memories of your future, but also everything that is closely related to your chakra, so also the toads of Mount Myoboku ?!"</p><p>Naruto nodded uncertainly. "Didn't you notice my name on the contract?"</p><p>From his expression it was evident he hadn't.</p><p>"This explains a lot of things," he sighed. “Like because for over a year now, every time I summon a toad they look at me as if I were a ghost. They… remember my death,” he realized.</p><p>Naruto looked down. "Yes, it's the only reason why they weren't angry when they discovered that I had taken them back in time, to be able to see you again. You know… ”He broke off and the cracked tone hurt Obito. "It still hurts to think about it ..."</p><p>He didn't need to say what he meant. Obito approached him without realizing it, as if to give him comfort with the mere presence of him. That gesture of him roused him and once again he resumed speaking from where he had been interrupted.</p><p>Jiraiya listened milder until Kaguya was mentioned, but at that point he seemed like someone ready to accept anything, impossible to surprise again. Obito confirmed to himself that after such a tale, of the clash with a chakra mother deity, time travel seemed banal.</p><p>The silence that followed was very long. Jiraiya had a lot to metabolize and Naruto gave him a way without rushing him. He remained in peaceful silence watching the various emotions pass over the sannin's face.</p><p>Obito looked up at the horizon, some rays of the orange sun came out of the dilapidated buildings and the background of the sky was a violent red. Without their realizing it was time for sunset. So he wasn't surprised to hear Naruto's stomach gurgling beside him.</p><p>That sound revived Jiraiya from his solitary contemplation. He turned his attention back to the two men in front.</p><p>"That doesn't tell me why you're with him," he said without hiding his accusatory tone.</p><p>Obito stiffened, but Naruto didn't flinch.</p><p>"The first step to avoiding Kaguya's birth was to prevent Tsuki no Me. So I looked for Obito and we had our chat with, like, ten years early."</p><p>"And now he is committed to peace with you?" he asked sarcastically.</p><p>The mocking question irritated him far more than the suspicious look.</p><p>"I've always fought for peace," he specified. "But apparently Plan A is a failure, so I switched to Plan B. Now I'm working for peace with him."</p><p>Jiraiya didn't seem at all impressed by that speech.</p><p>"That is to meddle in the policies of the various states?" he asked him.</p><p>It was Naruto who intervened. “In my time we reached a Great Ninja Alliance because we had a common enemy, but honestly that's not the right way. This way only serves to justify the need for a war ”. He made a face and Obito didn't struggle to understand who he was thinking: Pain. "If nations start working together right away, after enduring a destructive and painful war it will be much better."</p><p>Jiraiya was fascinated by his determination, Obito could see how he was on the edge of nodding and believing him just because he knew it was the right thing. But Jiraiya was also a war veteran who had suffered betrayal and loss, despite everything he had a layer of cynicism.</p><p>“They've already tried,” he murmured, “but talking to people unfortunately doesn't seem enough. Not everyone listens ”.</p><p>Obito wondered if he was thinking of Orochimaru, who was still in Akatsuki at the time.</p><p>He felt Naruto's gaze on him, then nodded and the time traveler began to talk about his idea of using the Bijū as collaborators and not as weapons. It was funny to see the initial distrust - he imagined that it was really difficult for him to trust tailed demons - shatter in favor of a hopeful and then determined expression.</p><p>"It will take time," he murmured at last, "but it's not impossible."</p><p>Naruto nodded. “We are already working hard to push states to more peaceful treaties. Kiri will now work primarily for internal and external peace, we can guarantee that. In Kumo there is Killer B who is pushing Raikage to be ... less proud ".</p><p>For some reason Naruto chuckled, but Obito shivered as he remembered the Jinchūrike of the eight-tail and his speech all in rhyme.</p><p>“But even there we are on the right track. On Suna we still have to find the right moment, but I have some ideas, ”Naruto continued. "Iwa is giving us a little more problems than expected, they are such hard heads ..."</p><p>"You're on their bingo book," Jiraiya warned them.</p><p>Obito snorted in annoyance, while Naruto burst out laughing again.</p><p>"I know, Ōnoki offered us to become Iwa's shinobi and he didn't take our rejection very well ..." he finished with a chuckle.</p><p>His laughter affected Jiraiya and his little black eyes sparkled with mischief. He rested his palms on his crossed legs, then leaned forward with a sly expression.</p><p>“And to go back to Konoha instead? What do you think?"</p><p>Obito could clearly see Naruto's blue eyes widening with surprise and joy, his lips already folded in a nostalgic and longing smile. But then he stiffened and turned to look at Obito with the tail in his eye.</p><p>"We…"</p><p>"Let's go back" he interrupted him inflexible, without any particular emotion.</p><p>His decisive response from him made his traveling companion jump.</p><p>"Are you sure?" Naruto asked in amazement.</p><p>He took some time to respond. He didn't want to go back to Konoha, he didn't want to see the people he had betrayed and above all he didn't want to see Kakashi again. Naruto had convinced him to abandon the Tsukiyomi plan, but he still hadn't been able to forgive what happened. It was an open wound that still needed time to close and heal. But he also knew Naruto was pawing with the need to go home, because even though he was now in the wrong time as an intruder it was undeniable that he still considered Konoha to be his home. The Will of Fire burned so strongly in him, in every look, gesture and word that he had always feared it might betray and unmask them.</p><p>Naruto wanted to go home. Probably also to try to give himself a family of this time period.</p><p>"Yes, I'm sure," he said finally. He turned to look him in the face. "Soon there will also be the massacre of the Uchiha and we have to stop Danzo".</p><p>That thought made both Naruto and Jiraiya jump.</p><p>"You're right" said his companion getting up, Obito immediately imitated him. "We have to go back."</p><p>Come back ...</p><p>He looked at the sun that set the horizon on fire, the whirlwind of eddies that stirred the ocean that surrounded that forgotten island, a prisoner of time.</p><p>Coming home tasted salty just like that sea.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Writing the meeting between Naruto and Jiraiya was a bit of a pain; __; theirs is one of the relationships I love most in the manga, in fact my heart often hurts when in the canon rewrite they put Jiraiya in a bad light T_T</p><p>Small clarification on the matter of toads. If I'm not mistaken on "What once was will never be again" there is a very similar scene about Jiraiya and Future! Naruto talking about toads etc, or maybe it was in another fic (actually I have read / am reading too many all together, I confuse them lol). Anyway, the scene is similar, but I didn't see any other way to handle it. The time-traveling chakra theme is featured in many stories and is my favorite when it comes to the "technical function" of travel. In some stories, as a backslide, Naruto no longer has a contract with the toads but with the foxes, a very nice idea but ... I am fond of toads, as I'm sure Naruto is too. I like their relationship and I want them to keep the contract, so I couldn't do otherwise. It would have been absurd if Jiraiya hadn't noticed that Naruto already had a contract with his toads, so I put the scene in so as not to make it a plot hole.<br/>There are also other things that have been inspired by other fic, but we will talk about them when they are mentioned :D</p><p>I still hope you enjoyed it! A kiss! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. May it be a wish for a future of hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Obito did not answer, he remained silent for a long time lost in his own thoughts. Eventually he shrugged in disinterested assent.<br/>"I traveled alone until I met you," he repeated, he looked up at the ceiling at the hanging figure. "Who are you?"<br/>Jiraiya soon found an answer, amazing not only the other two but himself as well.<br/>“Minato's younger brother”.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As evening fell, they returned to one of Uzushio's rickety buildings, which in the period they had used that island as a base for their travels had tried to make a shelter livable.</p><p>"You will need a cover story," Jiraiya said, looking at fire-roasted fish.</p><p>Obito was taking care of the dinner, while Naruto at those words began to walk on a vertical wall until he was hanging from the ceiling like a bat, his arms crossed and his expression concentrated.</p><p>Jiraiya sought the help of Obito for that strange behavior. He just shrugged.</p><p>"He says standing upside down helps him think."</p><p>He laughed, that was behavior he saw perfectly for Kushina's son.</p><p>"Nobody has to know I'm from the future, not even Jiji," Naruto interrupted from the ceiling.</p><p>"Who knows?" Jiraiya asked.</p><p>"Me, you, Konan and Hoshigaki Kisame," Obito replied apathetically.</p><p>Jiraiya looked at him in shock. "Did you tell an S-grade nukenin ?!" he blurted out.</p><p>Obito barely glanced at him as he spun the fish. "Kisame is a cool guy, he can be trusted."</p><p>"I know he killed his entire team."</p><p>"They had ordered him, he just followed orders." Defense came from Naruto on the ceiling. The orange haori he was wearing had opened around him making him look like a flamboyant flower. “The real problem is Nagato. We told him, but he didn't believe it ”.</p><p>"And he attacked us," Obito recalled with a grunt. "He didn't take it well to know that his eyes are actually Madara's."</p><p>“Konan is still on his side,” Naruto continued, “but she seemed more open to dialogue. We thought of postponing another confrontation when we have solved the rest, so as to demonstrate our sincerity ”.</p><p>Jiraiya nodded in appreciation. From what he had told him, Nagato had become very powerful. It was very likely that this Naruto wouldn't struggle to beat him, but he figured they didn't want to use violence to stop him.</p><p>"So we have to find you a story, Naruto," he considered. "Are you sure you don't want to tell the Sandaime?"</p><p>It hurt him to keep such a secret from sensei, that would have been a serious conflict of loyalty.</p><p>But Naruto nodded firmly. “No one Kage has to know about my trip. Honestly, Jiji was fantastic and he is very strong, but some of his choices have been questionable and his closeness to Danzo worries me ”.</p><p>He couldn't say he totally disagreed, but it was still something he didn't like.</p><p>"And later? When will the situation be safer? " he asked him hopefully.</p><p>Obito looked totally upset, but didn't protest when after a moment of silence Naruto nodded in agreement.</p><p>"Later," he guaranteed, "when the time comes."</p><p>He sighed in relief. That done, he turned his attention back to the more important issue.</p><p>"It is also absolutely out of the question to say that the Kyūbi attack seven years ago was your doing," he said without bothering to hide the accusation in his words.</p><p>"Yes, I guess it would complicate everything" Obito replied without looking at him. “So? What do you propose? "</p><p>It was Naruto who spoke. "Let's leave the first part as it really is. About your meeting with Madara and the fact that she saved your life ”.</p><p>Obito darted his eyes up in surprise. "Are you sure?"</p><p>"You should have been dead," Jiraiya interjected. "I don't think it's easy to find another plausible explanation, it also explains your body and your ability to use the art of wood".</p><p>"So, the story will stay the same until Rin's death."</p><p>The expression of pain was so clear on the Uchiha boy's face that Jiraiya felt empathy towards him. Naruto noticed too and softened his voice.</p><p>“But after witnessing her death, you didn't come back from Madara. You lived alone as a wandering ninja until we met. Obviously, you know nothing of Madara's original plan.”</p><p>He nodded in agreement. "We will say that it was he who attacked the Village with the Kyūbi and the Yondaime killed him on that occasion".</p><p>"Besides, it's not that far from the truth," Naruto confirmed.</p><p>Obito did not answer, he remained silent for a long time lost in his own thoughts. Eventually he shrugged in disinterested assent.</p><p>"I traveled alone until I met you," he repeated, he looked up at the ceiling at the hanging figure. "Who are you?"</p><p>Jiraiya soon found an answer, amazing not only the other two but himself as well.</p><p>“Minato's younger brother”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Naruto almost fell from the ceiling, but managed to stabilize the chakra on the soles of his feet again. He hung staring at the sannin in amazement.</p><p>"My father didn't have a brother," he pointed out.</p><p>"Of course not," Jiraiya confirmed. “That's why it's a good cover. You look too much like him, Naruto, anyone who sees you will realize it in the Village. Only a blood bond can explain your similarity ”.</p><p>"An henge ..."</p><p>“In the Village where there are users of sharingan and byakugan? Suicide."</p><p>"Isn't that just as risky?" Obito dared. "It would have been known if Minato had had a brother."</p><p>"No, if not even Minato knew about it," Jiraiya explained. "To be clearer, you will be Minato's half-brother: same father, but different mothers." he explained. “Naruto, you must know that your paternal grandfather was not a ninja, but a merchant and his wife died shortly after the birth of the first child, that is your father. It would not be so unusual that your grandfather had joined with other women in his travels. He was a very attractive man ”.</p><p>"It looks like a plot of your dirty books, but it holds up," Naruto nodded satisfied. "Can we leave my mother a Uzumaki?" he asked. "I don't want to give up her legacy..."</p><p>"No, it's perfect," Obito agreed. “This would explain many aspects of your character and your chakra. You look similar to Minato-sensei, but trust that in the rest you are a Uzumaki done and finished ”.</p><p>Naruto had no idea if it was an insult or not, but he took it as a compliment and brightened it all up.</p><p>"Fantastic, dattebayo!"</p><p>Jiraiya sat cross-legged again and touched his chin thoughtfully. "You abandoned Uzushio as a child with your mother, during its destruction at the beginning of the Third War," he continued to elaborate. "You lived together traveling in search of a safe place until she died."</p><p>"In an attack by other ninja looking for the secrets of the Uzumaki," Obito completed. "That's why you continued to hide even after her death, keeping a low profile, wary of other shinobi."</p><p>"Until I found you," Naruto agreed excitedly, "and we became partners in crimes!"</p><p>He grinned at seeing Obito blush, but Uchiha managed not to give too much to see his embarrassment.</p><p>"It's a good cover, it just takes the details now."</p><p>"Like we'll have to explain your connection to the toads," Jiraiya said with a sigh.</p><p>"Couldn't I have signed the contract on my own?" he asked lightly, but the old sannin shook his head.</p><p>"No, I have the only existing contract and I would certainly have talked about it to Hokage-sama if we had already met. No, I was thinking of other things ”.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"Reverse summons," he explained.</p><p>Naruto was relieved to see Obito as confused as he was. Jiraiya got ready to explain.</p><p>“The first time I tried to use the Summoning Technique I hadn't made a pact with any animal and instead of summoning something here I summoned myself there, on Mount Myoboku. This is how I learned the techniques of toads and the hermit art. The same thing could have happened to you, while you were trying to recall something, you ended up there ”.</p><p>Obito struggled to hold back his laughter. "This is so stupid."</p><p>Jiraiya looked offended. "Well, you sassy brat, I wouldn't be where I am now if I wasn't lost in Myoboku as a kid."</p><p>"It's like me," he cut them off before they could start arguing. “Maybe I summoned myself by mistake when they attacked my mother. The toads hid me there because I was afraid of foreign shinobi ”.</p><p>Jiraiya nodded emphatically. “The reason they haven't told anyone about your presence there is your resemblance to Minato. They were afraid of attracting some enemy of my pupil to you. After all, we were in the midst of the Third War ”.</p><p>"There I trained and became very strong" he concluded with a cheeky grin. "Ready to face the world, I left the Toads and started looking for my destiny dattebayo!"</p><p>"I guess we're there," Jiraiya smiled back. "We will start thinking about the details tomorrow, but for now we have the important backbone."</p><p>"There's still one thing missing, though," Obito objected deadly serious.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Naruto burst out laughing as he realized that both he and Jiraiya had asked the question at the same time, raising the same eyebrow in the same skeptical expression. He felt an affection so deep it was unsettling, it almost made him lose his grip on the ceiling. He had missed Jiraiya a lot, but he only realized how painful it was until he saw it in front of him again. He knew it was not his Jiraiya, the same ero-sennin with whom he had shared the blue popsicles, who had trained him and brought him to the spa. They didn't have the same memories and it hurt… but having him still alive, in front of him, the same as he remembered, was something so beautiful that it was hard to believe.</p><p>His melancholy thoughts were interrupted by Obito, who looked at him hesitantly.</p><p>"Your name…"</p><p>He knew immediately what he meant and his expression froze. He could not react, shaken by the knowledge: he could not keep his name of him. There was already a Uzumaki Naruto in this timeline, a Naruto who had more right to exist than him, which was a mistake, an unexpected event of the time. Not to mention how absurd it would have been, too forced a coincidence, that Minato's half-brother had the same name as his son.</p><p>Jiraiya did it too. "You'll have to change it," he said bitterly.</p><p>It was obvious, it made the most sense. But that didn't mean it was easy. His name was the most precious thing he had, a reminder of his parents and he gathered their trust and the dream of his teacher. Even before, when he didn't know his legacy of him, it was still his name, his identity. He had held him tight since he was a child, when they called him a monster and tried to flatten him in the shadow of the Kyūbi. Uzumaki Naruto was him, he was all he had.</p><p>It was the name his father and mother had chosen for him.</p><p>He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, for some foolish reason he felt them wet. Perhaps because for the first time he really realized that he could no longer exist as Uzumaki Naruto, he had to abandon himself even if only partially.</p><p>But after all he had abandoned his companions in a horrible future, he no longer deserved to be Naruto. Naruto would stay fighting until the end, dying beside them. Instead he ran away.</p><p>He jumped off the ceiling landing on his feet, the slightly crouched position, and sat on the floor quietly.</p><p>"Then? What name?" he asked, fighting the pain in his chest.</p><p>It was Obito who answered, with extreme clarity.</p><p>"Nozomi," he said calmly. “Uzumaki Nozomi”.</p><p>He repeated it in his mind a couple of times, then nodded slowly. He didn't know why, but he was happy that Obito had chosen a name for him. It almost felt like a sort of investiture, as if he were entrusting him with a destiny.</p><p>"Uzumaki Nozomi" repeated Jiraiya with slight irony. "May it be a wish for a future of hope".</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A chapter ahead of schedule! But I'm pretty enthusiastic, so I'm working hard and your comments motivate me a lot!</p><p>The part that makes me suffer more and more in time travel is the change of name of Naruto ;__; I don't know, without his real name sometimes I get the feeling that it's never really him, it breaks my heart that I have to give up his identity. But I realize that for plot needs you have to do it, so I chose a name that had an equally important meaning. Nozomi means hope, and that's why Obito chose it!</p><p>The choice of Naruto brother of Minato stems from the fact that, unlike almost all time travel, Naruto here keeps his blonde hair. Plus the toad business continues, still inspired by WOWWNB because honestly it's the only story that has given Future!Naruto a decent cover xD I couldn't think of anything else strong enough and above all that could made the Sandaime trust him, so I took a cue ^^</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love, Gray clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The man in front of him seemed to have been devoured by the world and spat out of hell, only to have been hastily and inaccurately put back together.<br/>"How ... why did you decide to trust Naruto?" Jiraiya asked him.<br/>He barely looked at him, grabbing a heavy black cloak instead. "Madara's plan is doomed to failure, I don't have much choice." He froze, as if he had been struck by a thought and frowned. "There is something about Naruto that makes me want to help him."</p>
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    <p>It was now night. Despite the lavish dinner of roasted fish - which Obito very suspiciously hadn't touched - Jiraiya couldn't sleep. In his mind the too much information gathered in a few hours continued to mix, so absurd that he could not yet metabolize it properly. There was the matter of time travel, of having the murderer of his precious pupil not too far away and, last but not least, the news of his future death and the destruction of the world.</p><p>It was a lot to metabolize, yes.</p><p>So after turning over and over in the futon they had left him, he got up to meditate on the new discoveries and their consequences.</p><p>He went back to the room where they had dined and found Naruto and Obito there, in the same futon. He raised his eyebrows as he saw the awake Uchiha, a scroll in his hand and illuminated by a torch; Naruto was asleep next to his belly, with his arms raised to surround his waist and one cheek resting on his thigh.</p><p>Obito answered his silent question after a few seconds.</p><p>“When Naruto sleeps he can't help but hug things. The pillow, the sheets, the backpack, me ... "</p><p>"Do not you sleep?" he asked as he approached.</p><p>He shook his head. "I don't need it," he replied evasively. “I can go a long time without sleep”.</p><p>"You don't even need to eat," Jiraiya observed.</p><p>"And to drink," he completed.</p><p>These revelations made him shiver. He was as if Obito was no longer entirely human, as he was devoid of those primary needs. He assumed it was because of those Hashirama cells that had been transplanted to him by Madara.</p><p>They remained silent for long minutes, Obito concentrated on the parchment and Jiraiya lost in his own considerations. Finally he asked:</p><p>"Why are you in bed together?"</p><p>"In the beginning it was to save at the inns," was the laconic reply, "then out of habit".</p><p>He shook his head. "I meant: why are you in bed with him if you don't need to sleep?"</p><p>There was no reply, Obito gave no sign of having heard. He only noticed that the tips of his ears seemed to be blushing, but he couldn't tell for sure given the dim light around them. The boy was reading from the parchment with the sharingan active, which glowed like lava.</p><p>Finally, when Jiraiya was about to go back to sleep sitting up, Obito put the parchment away. He watched him suspiciously as he cautiously slipped from his companion's grasp, careful not to wake him. Without saying a word he walked away to a duffel bag. There he began to undress.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Jiraiya then asked.</p><p>"I'm going to take care of our business" was the sparse reply and for a moment he feared he would leave him with no further explanation, but added: "Before we go back to Konoha I have to warn Kisame."</p><p>"You have a lot of faith in a nukenin," he observed.</p><p>"Am I not too, a nukenin?" he replied without any particular feeling.</p><p>Jiraiya didn't pay much attention to it, his eyes were focused on the center of his chest. His whole body was a mixture of white artificial skin and real skin, something truly hideous and inhuman, but there was a very recent scar on that spot.</p><p>“I thought these Hashirama cells healed all wounds,” he said.</p><p>He shrugged. “It takes time for the most serious ones”.</p><p>"How did you do it?" he asked him without worrying about being delicate.</p><p>On the other hand, Obito seemed to remain completely indifferent to it.</p><p>"Naruto with a rasengan, right after I joined him."</p><p>It wasn't the answer he expected, he nearly choked on the saliva. He did not even have time to speculate that perhaps the traveler of the future had wanted to take a little revenge that Obito continued:</p><p>“Madara had put a seal in my heart, something that would push me to follow his will without betraying him. Apparently, in Naruto's future I had taken it off by having Kakashi hit me with the raikiri. Not knowing how else to do it, he used the same trick but with rasengan. If he had not done it, the Will of Madara would have possessed or killed me, we do not know for sure ”.</p><p>The detachment of his tone surprised him almost more than the story itself.</p><p>“With a blow like that you should have died, Hashirama cells or not,” he considered.</p><p>"He healed Me with Kurama's chakra" Obito explained without adding anything else.</p><p>The scar disappeared from sight of him as he put on a high-necked dark blue tunic. He tightened it to the waist with bands, in which he wedged the gun pouches.</p><p>For the first time since Jiraiya had seen him again, he didn't look at him with suspicion, or anger or hatred. He just felt a strange pity, looked at him with a bewildered displeasure. The twenty year old in front of him was completely different from the child running behind Minato shouting that he would become Hokage. There was nothing left of that clumsy and always late genin. The man in front of him seemed to have been devoured by the world and spat out of hell, only to have been hastily and inaccurately put back together.</p><p>"How ... why did you decide to trust Naruto?" Jiraiya asked him.</p><p>He barely looked at him, grabbing a heavy black cloak instead. "Madara's plan is doomed to failure, I don't have much choice." He froze, as if he had been struck by a thought and frowned. "There is something about Naruto that makes me want to help him."</p><p>Jiraiya asked no more, this cryptic answer was enough.</p><p>Obito raised his hood over his head, a shadow covered his features and only the bright light of the sharingan remained.</p><p>"I'll be back before dawn," he said, then the air around him rippled in a vortex and disappeared.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Kisame was mildly surprised to hear that chakra sign coming from his room at the inn when they were not expected to meet that night. He was even more amazed to see Tobi - Obito, whatever he wanted to be called now - perched on the edge of his windowsill like a bird without a mask.</p><p>It was rare for him to show up with his face uncovered, the last time it happened was to tell him an absurd story about time travel and then ask for his help in a coup in Kiri.</p><p>"Tobi, Obito," he hummed cautiously. "What do I owe the honor?"</p><p>Over time he had learned many things about that man. He knew that when he was Tobi it could be a real pain in the ass to handle, while Madara spoke little and did it only to give irrevocable orders. Obito was harder to guess, he was as silent as Madara, but he had something broken inside that often made him absent.</p><p>"New developments" said the man at the window.</p><p>Kisame neither approached nor pulled Samehada off his shoulder. He was in a relaxed position, but his bright eyes glittered for signs of danger.</p><p>"So, Obito, do I have to get the words out of your mouth?" he asked, sharpening his ironic voice.</p><p>He shook his head and walked out the window. "We were contacted by one of the three Sannin of Konoha".</p><p>At that sentence he immediately became suspicious. “Orochimaru? Did the Akatsuki decide to move? "</p><p>He shook his head again. "Jiraiya came and Naruto decided to trust him enough to tell him the truth."</p><p>"Oh" he clicked his tongue curiously, bared his pointy teeth in an eerie smile. "How did he take it?"</p><p>"He tried to kill me, but in the end Naruto convinced him. He believes in it and will help us ”.</p><p>"Good news, then," he dared. "He's a big shot in the Fire, isn't he?"</p><p>"Um," he hummed unimpressed. Kisame could clearly see that there was something else that worried him, in fact shortly after he spoke again: "He proposed to return to Konoha".</p><p>That surprised him. Kisame stared into his face in search of some clue, but beyond the bitterness that he seemed to dress him like a second skin, he could not decipher anything else. In a way, it had been easier for him to understand when he was wearing a mask. Madara and Tobi were somewhat predictable, but not Obito.</p><p>"What did you reply?" he then asked.</p><p>"We've accepted".</p><p>He narrowed his eyes, not at all happy with that answer. It risked compromising everything.</p><p>"Konan won't be happy," he said.</p><p>That caught Obito's attention. "Have you met her?"</p><p>"No," he disappointed him with a shrug. “But isn't that what she always claimed? That your Naruto is doing all this only in Konoha's interest? "</p><p>Obito frowned irritably. It was easy to irritate Obito, just prod him on the right strings and name the right names. Naming Rin meant making him mad, while doubting Naruto made him snap.</p><p>"It seems to me that this past year and a half Naruto has been pretty clear about his intentions," he said in fact angrily.</p><p>Kisame grinned. "But now you are returning to Konoha."</p><p>He blew his nose and grimaced. “We have business to attend to there too,” he said. "We have to avoid a genocide and manage Shimura Danzo".</p><p>He didn't know what he was talking about - except Danzo, you didn't have to be a time traveler to know what a piece of shit Shimura Danzo of Konoha was. When he was made aware of everything he had explicitly asked not to know anything about the future from which Uzumaki Naruto came. So he didn't know what this business was to be done.</p><p>"I hope you are not making a mistake," he finally said.</p><p>"We still have the same goal," Obito declared.</p><p>He grinned in amusement again. "Cheating the Great Nations in the name of peace?"</p><p>The Uchiha returned the smile equally amused. "Basically, yes".</p><p>At that point he couldn't help but nod. "I will continue to monitor Ame," he promised. "Will you contact me?"</p><p>He nodded. “Usual method”.</p><p>“Then I'll wait for news. Don't get killed, ”he said not really worried. If he had learned one thing about Obito, it was that he was as hard to kill as Madara. Not to mention this elusive time traveler, when he first met him he was shocked by the enormous reserves of chakra, even greater than his own.</p><p>"Ah, one last thing" he said before jumping out the window.</p><p>"Yup?" he asked finally pulling Samehada off his shoulders.</p><p>"He's not Naruto anymore," Obito murmured. “It's Uzumaki Nozomi”.</p><p>Kisamee clicked his tongue once more.</p><p>"Sounds good," he appreciated.</p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Obito kept his word, he returned before dawn. But he didn't go straight to the house where they were hiding, he took his time to stroll through the ruins of Uzushio. In that place so dilapidated and abandoned to neglect he felt perfectly embedded, as if it were his puzzle box. It was the perfect mirror of the world as it appeared to him.</p><p>A broken world.</p><p>And Naruto wanted to fix it.</p><p>Despite everything, he was suspicious. He couldn't lower his defense with that Jiraiya, even though he tried to show it, and he was worried. Worried that Konan was right, that Naruto was only here for Konoha and his killer friends. He added that they were now returning there. He had told Kisame to be sure, he had been calm, but he was not at all. There were too many things left to chance.</p><p>They would have created a good cover story with Jiraiya, but would the old sannin keep the deal? Nothing guaranteed that once in the Village he would not tell the truth about him in order to frame him, that loyalty to the Sandaime would lead him to betray them. In that case he would have run away, he had no intention of being held captive in Konoha or being killed by their hands. After all, he had made hidden plans for himself from the beginning, in case things went wrong and Naruto turned out to be just a fool.</p><p>He had his own escape plan since Kiri, since he had participated in the coup with the knowledge that it would be useless, a waste of time, that nothing would change. Instead… after… he had almost felt like a whining child about the happy ending he hadn't hoped for. Maybe he was too early to talk, but Kisame's reports said things were starting to turn right there. Not to mention that almost everything they did afterwards ended well. Their only failure had been Nagato, but there it was only his fault, as he had decided to face him without Naruto.</p><p>Maybe… things would be fine? Could he really go home?</p><p>For a moment he felt overwhelmed by pessimism again, things could not go well forever and there would be a moment when the house of cards they were building would collapse. He didn't have to bask in the idea that things could go well, he had to find a rescue plan.</p><p>Then he thought of Naruto's hopeful blue eyes, sighed and walked faster. The cold pre-dawn wind was trying to take advantage of his short hair to slip into his hood and make him shiver with cold, but he had stopped feeling those feelings long ago.</p><p>Maybe Naruto could have fixed him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>His arrival woke Naruto who gave him a wistful smile. He could well imagine what was behind that smile, the knowledge that from the moment the sun rose he would no longer be Uzumaki Naruto. He didn't say anything to comfort him, it wasn't something he was particularly good at. He just set about preparing their things for their journey to Konoha and in doing so he tried to make as much noise as possible in order to wake Jiraiya.</p><p>Old Sannin had fallen asleep with his mouth open, sitting on the ground and leaning against the wall, but as soon as the disturbing noises reached his ears he snapped ready for danger. Realizing his surroundings, he relaxed and stood up with a yawn.</p><p>"Shall we leave?"</p><p>"Better now than later," Naruto agreed as he stood up.</p><p>"I think it is not the case to return immediately" continued the old man. “Before returning, I want to make sure that your coverage also lasts for any searches for Danzo. In the next few weeks we will make sure to disseminate clues in favor of your story, okay? "</p><p>Obito liked that trick, very clever.</p><p>"When everything is ready, I will send a letter to the Hokage to inform him that I have found you and that you have accepted my invitation".</p><p>"How long will that take?" Naruto asked already ready, Obito was also waiting at the door.</p><p>They were used to traveling and had always prepared themselves in case they had to leave the shelter at speed. Their possessions were few and always within reach.</p><p>Jiraiya loaded his travel bag and joined the Uchiha outside, followed by an anxious Naruto.</p><p>Outside the sky was pink, the seagulls screeched and flew in circles for the first catch. The ruins of Uzushio had a peaceful appearance in the early morning sun.</p><p>"Who knows, maybe months," Jiraiya finally replied with a shrug. "Ready to go home?"</p><p>Obito wasn’t. He had left so many things with Konoha that he wasn't sure he could handle them. But a glance at Naruto was enough for him to calm down. They had a goal and as long as there was a goal to follow he could go on.</p><p>He was surprised to see his partner take a step in front of everyone, legs apart and hands on hips, a determined expression on his face.</p><p>"Do you understand, Konoha ?!" he shouted at the silence of the morning. "Uzumaki <em>Nozomi</em> is coming!"</p><p>Then he ran towards the beach, like a ghost in the ruins.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Your enthusiasm makes me move! Thank you so much for all the comments and for following the story !!!<br/>The title of the chapter is a phrase from the song "Pompeii" by Bastille, which I find very apt for Obito at that juncture. He is still hesitant, he is afraid of being disappointed again, but at the same time he cannot stop trusting Naruto. I hope you enjoyed his introspection !!!<br/>In the next chapter we arrive at Konoha and together with many other characters I will make its appearance one in particular: a biscuit for the guesser :D</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Old friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Yo" he said raising a hand and squinting the only visible eye. "Forgive the delay, but I'm afraid I am ..."<br/>"Lost in the path of life?" someone anticipated with an amused chuckle.</p>
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    <p>It was a beautiful bright day, the heat of the summer sun cooled by a light breeze rustling through the leaves. Kakashi could hear the fronds singing soothingly from where he was standing. He liked those days when everything was quiet, he didn't have to go on a mission with the Ro team and he had the feeling that he could stay until evening to observe the memorial. His lazy eye continued to parade over the names of his precious people, even though he now knew by heart even the thickness of the engraving on the stone.</p><p>He didn't have a mission that day, but the Sandaime had summoned him to his office. If the message that ANBU had delivered to him was correct, he should have met him in his office two hours ago.</p><p>
  <em>Oh, how time flies ...</em>
</p><p>Idly he wondered if he could pull the rope a little longer and stay a while longer to observe that cold stone, as if it could give him the necessary comfort not to collapse. In the end he decided that surely he had already annoyed the old Hokage and there was no need to challenge his patience more than necessary.</p><p>He nodded to the cold tombstone, then used the shunshin to appear directly at the window of the Hokage office. Why use the door when he could present himself like that and make everyone present die of a broken heart?</p><p>"Yo" he said raising a hand and squinting the only visible eye. "Forgive the delay, but I'm afraid I am ..."</p><p>"Lost in the path of life?" someone anticipated with an amused chuckle.</p><p>The surprise made him reopen his eye and he was even more amazed to see so many important people in the room. There was the chief of the Special Squad, Ibiki Morino, the chief of the squad Jonin Nara Shikaku, the chief of the Police Uchiha Fugaku and the sannin Jiraiya. Beside him were two ninjas who did not belong to Konoha and it was one of them who giggled. He stopped on the balcony of the window, looked bewildered at those familiar features and blue eyes half closed in a smile. His hair was also the same color as the sensei's, except that it was cut much shorter.</p><p>But he risked losing his balance on the counter when he shifted his surprised eye to the other ninja. Unlike the other, who seemed to radiate light with his bright colors, this one had a darker appearance, even his expression was contracted in an unfriendly way. But there was nothing in the world that could prevent Kakashi from recognizing him, not even the scars that ruined the right side of his face and the blindfold covering his missing left eye.</p><p>He jumped in disbelief room and hesitant, afraid to hope in vain.</p><p>"Obito?" he asked breathlessly, bewildered.</p><p>The man contracted his gaze and stared at him angrily, that look hurt him. But he immediately recovered from hearing the Hokage cough for his attention.</p><p>"Kakashi," he asked calmly, "can you confirm that this man is Uchiha Obito?"</p><p>He understood why he had been invited and, despite the dull throbbing in his chest, immediately entered mission mode.</p><p>"The smell is different, sir," he said confused.</p><p>Obito had always known about apple pies, sweat and fire (the latter like most of the Uchiha). Instead, the smell that he felt coming from this man was strange: he smelled of blood, steel, ash and sap. From a certain point of view he reminded him of Tenzou's - aroma of freshly cut branches - but this had something inhuman about it.</p><p>But the face was exactly what Obito would have had when he grew up, scars and missing eye aside. A henge? He surely he would never have deceived the Sandaime or Fugaku in that way ...</p><p>The man who claimed to be Obito accentuated the annoyed grimace, then the onyx eye was colored red and black, the tomoi swirled to form a figure that Kakashi had often seen looking in the mirror.</p><p>
  <em>Kamui!</em>
</p><p>Quick hastened to raise his hitai-ate, revealing the red of the sharingan which morphed into the same three-pointed shape.</p><p>"Does this refresh your memory, Bakakashi?" Obito said.</p><p>Even his voice was different, more worn and detached. But now there were no more doubts, it was really him and hearing that childhood nickname of him increased the contraction in his chest.</p><p>"You're alive ..." he said breathlessly.</p><p>"Yeah, that's interesting," Fugaku interjected. He had activated his sharingan, perhaps to make sure it wasn't a particularly successful henge or genjutsu, but he must have come to his own conclusion.</p><p>It was Obito. Obito was really there.</p><p>Unexpectedly, it was the blond man who spoke.</p><p>"We have some interesting things to tell!" he chattered merrily raising his arms behind his neck in a relaxed pose, he felt his blue eyes focus on him. "You must be the famous Copy-nin Hatake-san, right?"</p><p>"Only Kakashi" he cut short suddenly wary. Usually the shinobi did not call him by surname, it was something that recalled the White Fang and ... well, that was something that Konoha wanted to forget. He started to ask for the man's name, but he preceded him with his absurdly carefree voice.</p><p>“I've heard so much about you! But Obito has always described you with a stake in the ass, fixed with the rules and <em>intolerant of delays</em> ”he listed. "Mh, aren't you the impostor here?" he finished staring at him suspiciously.</p><p>Kakashi at the moment definitely didn't know how to react. He was still stunned by the discovery that Obito was there, alive <em>damn it</em>, and he wasn't ready to face such a torrent of words from his dead Sensei's double. He wanted answers, he wanted to know why Obito hadn't come back! Maybe that way, if they were together... Rin... and sensei...</p><p>"Maaa, who knows," he finally resolved indolently, his hands planted firmly in his pockets in a curved pose. Kakashi couldn't stop looking at Obito with the sharingan, as if he wanted to impress his image of him in case he suddenly disappeared.</p><p>Another cough from the Hokage reminded him that he was in his office and that he was probably lacking in education to everyone present by being in the center of it. He then took a step back.</p><p>"I guess we should continue with the introductions," the Sandaime said in the same relaxed tone as before. His eyes, however, were alert and awake, ready to notice any detail. "Kakashi, this is the companion of your old friend: Uzumaki Nozomi, the younger brother of Yondaime-dono."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Shikaku could see with extreme precision the moment when Kakashi, faced with this news, seemed to want to send everything to hell. In his heart he felt empathy towards the young ANBU, he too had struggled to maintain control when he heard it.</p><p> "Yondaime-sama didn't have a brother," Kakashi said harshly. "Not that I know of, at least."</p><p>"Well, I didn't even know I had a brother here" protested the self-styled Uzumaki pouting, "since no one has ever bothered to tell me!"</p><p>He didn't expect to see Jiraiya intervene, putting a hand on the boy's disheveled hair.</p><p>"Brat, it was done for your good," he warned.</p><p>That sentence piqued his interest and he stared at him more closely. What it implied was that someone knew and had not spoken. Even the Hokage seemed to notice it.</p><p>"How long have you known, Jiraiya?" he asked quietly.</p><p>“Only since we met. Seeing him I understood that he had some blood ties with our Yondaime ”.</p><p><em>It seems to see him as his son</em>, Shikaku agreed internally, even though he didn't like to think that Minato could have betrayed Kushina. But if you think about it, it would have been impossible: the man in front of him was over twenty, they wouldn't have been there with age. Instead, the brother option was much more likely, especially in the case of a lie. It was necessary to find out if it was really a deception.</p><p>Jiraiya, almost reading his mind, got ready to continue.</p><p>"Nozomi is Minato's half-brother," he specified. “His mother was a Uzumaki, Asuka Uzumaki, after whom he got his name. She never talked to him about his father, who I guess he didn't even know he existed of him ”.</p><p>"This is ... incredible," the Sandaime considered.</p><p>More than incredible in his opinion. It was impossible that not even a rumor had reached the existence of this brother. His resemblance to Minato would have been immediately noticed by other nations as well, but only recently had he gossiped about the ghost of the Yellow Flash.</p><p>Ibiki seemed to come to his own conclusion, because he asked:</p><p>"Where have you been all this time?"</p><p>The expression on the Uzumaki's face darkened, he looked hesitantly at Jiraiya before starting to speak with a sigh.</p><p>"Everywhere. I escaped with mom from Uzushio during its destruction, we have since traveled undercover in different countries. Honestly, I have no memories outside of our constant travels. I also know that mum used a henge on me, although I never knew why, and she was carrying a lot of scrolls ”.</p><p>"Scrolls of ninja techniques?" he made sure, starting a little to understand where he was headed and the trembling sigh of Nozomi confirmed that that story had not ended well.</p><p>"Yes, mostly Fūinjutsu, mom had also tried to teach me something but I was too young ..." He took another deep breath. "Anyway, when I was about eleven we headed to the Land of Grass. From some gossip he had heard that another Uzumaki family had also found refuge there, so we finally hoped to find a safe place to stay ".</p><p>"Why didn't you come to Konoha?" objected the Sandaime. “We have always been allies with Uzushio, we would certainly have hosted and taken care of you”.</p><p>It was a fair question, but from the bewildered gaze it was obvious that the young man didn't have an answer.</p><p>"I don't know," he said in fact he shrugged. “I used to go where my mother went”.</p><p>Of course it made sense, he was a child at the time and probably didn't know about the alliance with Konoha. Perhaps his mother felt some form of grudge against the Leaf for letting them destroy her village. Or maybe it was not to reveal the existence of the child, the brother of the now famous in all nations Yellow Lightning, after all he said he had traveled in henge.</p><p>"Have you arrived in Kusa?" the Sandaime asked politely, urging him to continue.</p><p>The shadow in his blue eyes intensified and he shook his head.</p><p>“On the way we were attacked. I don't know who those ninjas were, but they wanted Mama's scrolls and to know Uzushio's secret techniques ”. He shivered at the memory and seemed to want to withdraw, his eyes cast down. “In the chaos that happened, my mother died, I tried to escape using one of the techniques she had told me about: the Kuchiyose no jutsu”.</p><p>Shikaku felt that his eyebrows were arching enough to reach the hairline. He was relieved to see that he wasn't the only one surprised in the room.</p><p>"Did you have a contract with someone?" he asked him.</p><p>Nozomi made an embarrassing expression. “Actually, I didn't even know what it was for. It was the first sequence of seals that came to my mind and I did it. The next second I found myself in a strange place, with strange colors and full of giant frogs ”.</p><p>He guessed the description, but it seemed so unlikely that he turned to Jiraiya.</p><p>"Mount Myoboku?" he asked for confirmation.</p><p>Jiraiya made an expression of circumstance. "When you use the summoning technique without having signed a contract you never know what can happen".</p><p>"How funny" the Hokage considered distracted as he cleaned his pipe. "If I'm not mistaken, the same thing happened to you as a boy."</p><p>Jiraiya jumped in place, red in the face. “Oy, old man! This had to remain our secret”.</p><p>"So you have not reached the Monte because you walked for months and months looking for it?" Kakashi teased him.</p><p>"Oh, is that what you're talking about, Jiraiya-chan?" Hiruzen laughed good-naturedly.</p><p>A cough blocked old Sannin's response. It had been Fugaku, visibly annoyed by that little theater.</p><p>"We can continue?" he asked coldly and in his heart Shikaku agreed, but he would have preferred to set his hair on fire than to show agreement to the icy police chief.</p><p>"Of course. Nozomi, please "agreed the Hokage.</p><p>He shrugged. "I stayed with the toads for quite a while. They kept me safe and I trained with Pa 'e Ma' "he said with affectionate familiarity, the tone that was also reflected in his softened gaze. “They taught me so many things and made me so much stronger. When I learned everything I decided to leave the Mount to resume traveling to find my place in the world. That's how I met Obito! "</p><p>With this last sentence, everyone's attention returned to the disappeared Uchiha. To tell the truth, Shikaku had constantly glanced at Obito during Nozomi's story, to observe his reaction. He didn't seem surprised to hear that story, he must already know it, and from the moment he started talking about the trip with his mother he had approached him, as if to comfort him with his presence.</p><p>For the rest he had been silent, his face devoid of obvious emotions and his eye far from Kakashi. It was clear that he was doing everything he could not to make eye contact.</p><p>"Did you meet Obito," the Hokage said calmly, "when?"</p><p>"About three years ago, sir," Nozomi replied.</p><p>"And what did you do alone until this meeting, Obito?"</p><p>Young Uchiha looked irritated by the Sandaime's condescending tone, as if he were talking to a child. He gave him an annoyed look and said:</p><p>"My fucking business".</p><p>He did not particularly appreciate that response and was not the only one in the room, with the exception of Fugaku who did not flinch. Jiraiya rolled his eyes in exasperation, evidently such an answer was nothing new to him.</p><p>Fortunately, the Hokage kept his cool and just looked at him reproachfully.</p><p>"Can you be more specific than that?" he always asked polite. "Maybe tell us how you survived the rocks."</p><p>Shikaku could swear that Kakashi was waiting for that response with all his heart since he had recognized him.</p><p>Obito was evidently reluctant to speak, he saw him exchange a pleading look with Nozomi, who seemed to silently persuade him.</p><p>"I was saved by Uchiha Madara".</p><p>He couldn't drop a worse bomb, he considered, even the news of Minato's missing brother paled by comparison. The first to react was obviously Fugaku.</p><p>"Uchiha Madara has been dead for a very long time," he growled. "Killed by the Shodaime!"</p><p>"Well, actually no," Obito replied almost defiantly. "He wasn't dead, although at first I mistook him for the Uchiha's private shinigami, since he had a scythe and a sharingan."</p><p>That ... did not make sense, but it was actually something that the dress he had known could think easily.</p><p>"Are you really telling us that Uchiha Madara, a ninja from the time of the founders who everyone thought was dead, is actually alive?" Hiruzen assured himself, placing each word slowly.</p><p>"Now he's really dead," he assured him. "The Yondaime killed him almost eight years ago".</p><p>The calculation was easy for everyone to do, but Shikaku was the first to react.</p><p>"Are you saying that Uchiha Madara was behind the Kyūbi attack?"</p><p>"Do you know anyone else who can control the Bijū?"</p><p>He did not like that answer dripping with sarcasm, that he did not like his attitude in general actually. So Shikaku looked at him narrowing his eyes, suspicious.</p><p>"Can you explain yourself better?" Hiruzen insisted and seriously thought that his patience had to be recognized with a monument. He was certain he had reached the amount of bullshit enough for that day. All he wanted was to go and pick up his son from the Academy and lie down with him on a lawn doing nothing, emptying his mind by observing the clouds.</p><p>With another exasperated sigh, Obito began again.</p><p>“When I woke up I found myself in this cave with this old man with the sharingan staring at me in a creepy way. He told me his name was Uchiha Madara and that he had saved my life. I had more than half of the body destroyed, so he rebuilt it using a clone he created from Hashirama's cells. "</p><p>That one sentence already had too much information to digest all at once.</p><p>"Hashirama cells?" he repeated.</p><p>He shrugged. “That's what allowed him to live so long. He escaped to death against Hashirama using the Izanami technique and before leaving he managed to steal some DNA from him ”.</p><p>Shikaku saw at his side Fugaku stiffen at the mention of that technique, but even if he did not know it he did not ask for further information. He was more interested in this cell thing.</p><p>"What did Shodaime DNA do with it?"</p><p>He got another disinterested shrug. “He kept himself alive and managed to get these artificial humans that he called Zetsu. He rebuilt my body with one of them, ”he repeated. "But I was still weak and debilitated, so I couldn't move from there for quite a while".</p><p>"And this ... Uchiha Madara" began Ibiki skeptically, "what did he want from you?"</p><p>This time he didn't shrug, but darkened.</p><p>“Pull me into the midst of his delusional plan. Don't ask me which one, I didn't understand half of what he was saying and it was fucking creepy. At one point I began to fear he was also a pervert, as he talked about wanting certain favors from me. He probably talked about the attack with the Kyūbi, but I never asked. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He also put these two Zetsu on me to watch over and, fuck, they just asked me how he felt pooping. "</p><p>He felt a cough get stuck in his throat at that last statement and realized that the others present also seemed to struggle to remain serious. Except for Fugaku, Fugaku had a very scandalized expression. Perhaps he was shocked to hear of the fate of one of his most powerful members of his clan.</p><p>"But then you escaped," he tried to say.</p><p>"Yes, I did," he admitted. "In the end, the two Zetsus got attached to me and allowed me to leave that demonic place."</p><p>"But you haven't come back," the Sandaime pointed out the obvious, looking at him piercingly. "Why?"</p><p>And, for the first time since he had shown the Magekyo, Obito fixed his gaze on Kakashi, a gaze that burned with hatred, anger and contempt.</p><p>"Because Rin is dead," he growled.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally in Konoha! Although they have a lot to prove. One thing that puzzles me in the many time travels is the ease with which the Hokage and the advice allow Future!Naruto to be part of Konoha. I've always found it unrealistic, so be prepared for many chapters of chatter and even more chapters where Nozomi and Obito will be treated with suspicion. However, it is a military city with a military dictatorship that has just emerged from a long war and an attack that destroyed the city. They can't be so quiet with strangers!<br/>However, I hope you enjoyed the first meeting with Kakashi :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Just a hole where your heart used to be</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Today is my birthday!! So to celebrate, here's an early chapter, albeit a bit short ^^</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Here it is.</p><p>Kakashi has been waiting for this moment since he realized that whoever was in front of him was really Obito. But hearing it was still a stab in his chest that made him curl up in himself, overwhelmed by his own guilt.</p><p>The promise he had broken. The umpteenth failure of him.</p><p>"I…"</p><p>Obito narrowed his eye, accentuating the contempt with which he was staring at him.</p><p>"I don't care about your pathetic excuses."</p><p>"I suddenly found her in front of me!" he needlessly explained that he understood that he had never wanted it to happen, that he had tried with all his might to honor his promise. "I realized it when it was too late, I didn't want to ..."</p><p>"She was the one who wanted it."</p><p>He was amazed to hear Nozomi's voice over his own and when he looked up he saw that the man had taken a step forward and was looking at him in pain, as if seeing him suffer made him sick too. Nebulously he wondered why to feel such empathy for a stranger.</p><p>"It was Rin who chose to kill herself," Nozomi repeated eagerly. "Kiri had sealed Isobou inside her ..."</p><p>"Who?" Shikaku asked.</p><p>Obito rolled his eyes. “Talk about the Sanbi”.</p><p>“… But the seal was weak, designed to break once she reached Konoha. She knew it, she knew that if you brought her there she would destroy her village. She intruded on your raikiri because she wanted to avoid it, because it was the only way she had to do it".</p><p>There was a long silence, in which Kakashi heard the rumble of his wounded heart in his ears. He thanked the mask that hid much of his face, but he suspected that the painful realization was still visible in his eyes. This ... this explained those words that Rin had addressed to him, now they made sense ...</p><p>"How do you know these things?"</p><p>The silence was broken by Shikaku, rational as usual. That question made him start breathing again, even though he felt like he was immersed in frozen water. Nozomi gave him one last worried look before turning to the Jounin chief.</p><p>“When Obito told me what he had seen I wanted to investigate. In short, it is a strange story from every point of view. With some favors we got our answers to Kiri”.</p><p>He felt even worse to realize that Obito had seen him, that this was where it happened. He had seen it all.</p><p>Unlike him, Shikaku was quicker to grasp another realization.</p><p>“Any favors to Kiri? For example, help them in the coup? "</p><p>Nozomi winced and an embarrassed smile was drawn on his lips. "Um, like," he admitted.</p><p>Kakashi did not share the curiosity of the other people in the room. He felt as though alienated from others, because the only thing in front of him was Obito, who hated him and had seen what he had done, what kind of bad human he was. It was as if fate had wanted to send him a judge and had chosen the perfect one to torture him.</p><p>"Why meddle in Kiri's political affairs?"</p><p>Even the questions posed by others came to him as nebulous, as if passing through layers of water, as did the answers.</p><p>“Kiri's leaders were bloody warmongers interested only in their own interests. At least now the new Mizukage works for peace ”.</p><p>"And are you interested in peace, Nozomi-san?"</p><p>"Obviously! The war destroyed my village and forced me to be a refugee. I don't want such a thing to happen again! " he asserted.</p><p>That determined tone shook Kakashi, though not enough to bring him back into the conversation. He hadn't really listened to what they were talking about, but suddenly it seemed to him that the bubble around him would explode and the sounds were clear again.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he said looking at Obito.</p><p>He received only contempt. "I said I didn't want your apology."</p><p>It really hurt, even though he felt he deserved that contempt. At that moment Kakashi hated that quiet day, he just wanted to put on his ANBU mask and slip into the automatism of fighting and killing.</p><p>But he at least he brought the attention of other men back to them.</p><p>"So is that why you didn't come back?" Fugaku asked hard.</p><p>Obito challenged him with his eyes and the Uchiha leader did not seem to appreciate him particularly.</p><p>Kakashi didn't know what to do with himself in front of this Obito. The child he had met was so stubborn, but he didn't have that rancorous expression. Obito he never felt resentment, even when he should have.</p><p>"And where have you been?" Hiruzen asked. He seemed to be the only one able to bear patience with such uncooperative behavior.</p><p>“Not from Madara, if that's what you think. Fuck I was going back to that madman,” he muttered, he crossed his arms again. “I've been around, on my own. I trained and just hid. I kept a low profile until this idiot involved me in his follies ".</p><p>There was an undertone of affection in those last words, just warmer, Kakashi did not know if only he noticed it because he knew him. He only knew that he felt an irrational jealousy in front of the knowledge that someone else had become a friend of the Uchiha, taking his rightful place.</p><p>"There's more?" the Hokage asked the silence.</p><p>Nozomi stopped smiling complicit at Obito to move her gaze to Jiraiya, it was he who took the floor.</p><p>“I found them in Uzushio. After a moment of mistrust we were able to collaborate ”.</p><p>"And can you confirm their versions?" Hiruzen asked.</p><p>Despite the gentle tone, he could sense suspicion in his gaze. The same that was also present in the others, much more evident in Ibiki. Kakashi almost needed to protest, because he was Obito, damn it! He was their companion, there was no reason to be so prejudiced against him.</p><p>"Yes" confirmed the sannin seriously, "especially because there is someone who was able to confirm Nozomi's story for me".</p><p>"Can you summon him?" Hiruzen asked, guessing who he was talking about. "I'd be curious to hear him."</p><p>Kakashi understood when he saw Jiraiya doing the signs with his hands, noticed that he still had the sharingan wide open and hurried to lower the blindfold. There was no point in wasting chakra unnecessarily by keeping it active.</p><p>Obito followed him in that movement.</p><p>Jiraiya slammed his palm down on the Hokage's desk and at that point, amid puffs of smoke, a figure of a toad appeared that Kakashi had never seen.</p><p>"Fukasaku-san," Hiruzen greeted.</p><p>The toad on the desk was small - at least compared to the huge ones he had seen being summoned by the sannin in battle - very dark green and with white hair in a mohawk cut, thick eyebrows and a goatee. His yellow eyes rested calmly on each of those present, not at all disturbed to be there. Finally he looked at Nozomi and smiled.</p><p>"Hello boy".</p><p>"Yo," the one said grinning.</p><p>The fact that they knew each other with that familiarity confirmed what Nozomi had said, but Kakashi knew that it would not be enough for the Hokage. In fact the old man inclined his face forward in an informal greeting, then asked:</p><p>"Fukasaku-san, could we take your time to ask you a few things?"</p><p>"Of course, Hokage-sama," he agreed with equal politeness.</p><p>At that point Kakashi was not surprised to see the Sandaime nod to Fugaku.</p><p>"Could you take our guests out for a brief moment, Fugaku-san?"</p><p>The man frowned at being excluded from that conversation, but did not protest. He had to figure out for himself that another sharingan user was needed to monitor a sharingan user. Of course there was him, Kakashi, but he knew he didn't even have half the experience of the Uchiha leader with that ocular art. Not to mention that he suspected that once they were alone Obito could punch him.</p><p>In fact, it was he who reacted surly.</p><p>"Why do we have to go out?"</p><p>"Standard procedure" was Ibiki's quick, sharp reply.</p><p>Obito snorted from his nose, then with arrogant step left the room with his back to all present. Nozomi smiled a little uncomfortably, as if to apologize for that rudeness, then followed Fugaku out of the room greeting everyone present as if they were old friends.</p><p>That boy was really weird.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He was very annoyed that he had been excluded from the room.</p><p>Annoyed, Fugaku wondered if that was yet another sign of the Hokage’s lack of trust in the Uchiha. Perhaps he would share information with the wise toad that he didn't want to reach his ears. He did not like that behavior, if he had done it too only to counter Obito's sharingan he could have sent Kakashi, since he had stolen one and did not have a high enough rank to justify being in the room instead of he.</p><p>But the two councilors and Danzo-sama were also missing, a very strange thing that despite everything he had appreciated.</p><p>"So you are the head of the Uchiha Clan."</p><p>Fugaku just turned his gaze to the brat he had spoken to. He had said he was on the verge of twenty-two, but his round face and bright eyes still made him look like a child. He did not pay much attention to him, despite the kinship in that brief conversation he had come to the conclusion that he did not share the same brilliance as his stepbrother. Rather, he focused on the missing relative, still having a hard time associating him with the child he had once been. It was difficult for him to admit, but if Kakashi had not been confirmed he would hardly have recognized him.</p><p>"Why didn't you come back?" he asked him trying to be calm, but the question seemed in all respects to an accusation.</p><p>Mikoto was right to tease him by saying that he did not know how to leave the air of a commander, at this moment he was looking at him as if he were a deserter.</p><p>Well, it is. He developed Mangekyo and did not come back.</p><p>Of course he was also very surprised that Obito had been able to develop one, from his memories he was not particularly talented, on the contrary ... disappointment would have been the right word to describe him. He didn't have an ounce of Uchiha talent and elegance.</p><p>He received a sideways glance.</p><p>"I seem to have already explained it."</p><p>He didn't like that tone. He could appreciate it if addressed to the Hokage, but not to himself. He frowned, but didn't let him see his annoyance.</p><p>"I understand your aversion to Konoha" and I share it, he only thought, "but you should have gone back to your clan."</p><p>He was sure that his speech was perfectly logical, so he didn't explain Nozomi's flinch and his starting to fidget.</p><p>"So, sir, are you ... are you married?" he will blab at him in a lighthearted tone.</p><p>He looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I am".</p><p>"Oh, and ..."</p><p>“My clan? Am I part of the clan now? "</p><p>"…do you have children?" Nozomi swallowed.</p><p>Fugaku felt genuinely confused, both by Obito’s shot and Uzumaki’s questions. He looked at the latter.</p><p>"Yes, two sons" then he turned back to the other circumspect. "You are an Uchiha".</p><p>Obito seemed ready to show the sharingan at any moment, he began to understand the concern of his companion. Somehow he didn't understand he had made a mistake.</p><p>"I don't remember hearing anything like that as a kid," Obito replied. "I remember that my grandmother had to fight for me to reside within the district with her, that you never forgave my father for marrying an external civilian".</p><p>"The secrets of the clan ..." he began seriously, still outraged by that story.</p><p>"You never recognized me as an Uchiha, never" he interrupted him once again and Fugaku closed himself in an offended silence that would have made anyone tremble. Contradict and interrupt your clan leader! This was definitely absurd, Obito was the same unruly child from years ago.</p><p><em>An unruly child who has a Mangekyo…</em> he had to remind himself.</p><p>"What has changed now?" the impudent boy prodded again.</p><p>He stared at him with superiority, as if to remember his position with just that look.</p><p>"Your sharingan, for starters," he said confidently.</p><p>But from the expression that Obito made, he must have <em>definitely</em> made a false step.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Hokage's Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"There is only one thing left to clarify," Hiruzen resumed when Fukasaku was let go and he could see Jiraiya's expression of joy freeze in a worried way. He decided that later, separately, he would ask why he was so fond of this stranger. Although he actually could have suspected that the resemblance to the deceased pupil had had an important factor.<br/>Whatever it was, he took his now empty pipe and put it on the desk.<br/>“Uzumaki Naruto,” he explained, “will remain a taboo subject until we have no longer defined their intentions. Until we know if they are sincere and their story is definitively confirmed, no one should tell them about Uzumaki Naruto ”he decreed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jiraiya was calm. The hardest part had gone smoothly, without a hitch, and the two brats had been good. Of course, he couldn't say that he particularly appreciated Obito's arrogant interpretation, but it had worked, especially because it had been very realistic. The absence of Danzō and the two councilors had made things easier, he was happy that Hiruzen had accepted his request for a meeting without them. He was sure that the coverage was solid and with the help of the toads they would add the last stone to the base.</p><p>"Fukasaku-san" Hiruzen began with a respectful smile, "Uzumaki Nozomi said he lived at Mount Myōboku with you, is that true?"</p><p>"That's right, Hokage-sama," she confirmed. "He's been with us for seven years."</p><p>"And why was his existence never made known to us?"</p><p>He saw Pa looking at him, as if asking for confirmation that he could speak, and Jiraiya nodded according to the game.</p><p>"I've already told them”.</p><p>Fukusaku nodded and turned back to the Sandaime. “He is Minato-chan's younger brother and one of the few Uzumaki alive with his clan secrets. We wanted to protect him ”.</p><p>"In Konoha we could have done that," Hiruzen pointed out.</p><p>“Obviously, but it was during the war and even after the readjustment situation was not very safe for him. There are too many enemies of Minato-chan that could hurt him. I admit that it was with reluctance that we saw him go, we would not have wanted to even though he now knows how to defend himself ".</p><p>Even the toad acted well, Jiraiya couldn't be happier than that. He knew that Hiruzen couldn't really blame that decision; they too were hiding a certain child who had ties to Minato for very similar reasons.</p><p>"I understand your reasons" he said in fact he at the end. "So can you vouch for his bloodline?"</p><p>"Absolutely," Fukasaku confirmed. “Our Great Sage was able to secure it. It is the main reason why we decided to host it. According to him he will play a fundamental role in the future to come”.</p><p>It was a good move to get him in the middle, Jiraiya knew Hiruzen's deep respect for the Great Sage and his prophecies.</p><p>"This comforts me," he said in fact.</p><p>"What about Uchiha Obito?" Ibiki intervened.</p><p>Jiraiya knew that, even more than the Hokage, it was he who had to be sure to deceive. Though it was difficult, considering how paranoid he was.</p><p>Fukasaku didn't flinch. "They met about three years ago, they have been traveling together ever since."</p><p>"Something more?"</p><p>"Obito was very lonely and very sad," he explained. "Nozomi-chan had to fight a little for him to trust him, but now they are inseparable. So far he has never shown bad intentions, far from it he protected Nozomi-chan when it was time. They are very close. "</p><p>Yep, this was something Jiraiya would investigate on his own. Whether he came from the future, Nozomi was still his godson and had a duty to find out more.</p><p>"From what I have seen he is not a bad person, he has a good heart but he has been left to himself for too long, which is why he is very grumpy".</p><p>"Can we trust him?" was Shikaku's straightforward question.</p><p>"You can trust Nozomi-chan," said the toad, "and Obito-chan will follow him."</p><p>It was an honest answer, but maybe not the right one. He could see under the hat the Hokage elaborating if that could become a conflict of loyalty to the figure of him.</p><p>"And will Nozomi be faithful to Konoha?" he then asked carefully pondering the question.</p><p>“Nozomi-chan needs a home and a family. If Konoha succeeds in becoming one, you can be sure that he will be loyal to it until his last breath ”.</p><p><em>Which it already is</em>, Jiraiya thought to himself. He had seen few people burn the Will of Fire with such intensity. Nozomi's soul belonged to Konoha, it was already his home. But this was better that others didn't know ...</p><p>Hiruzen smiled at those words. "We will make sure it become one."</p><p>"I'm sure it won't be difficult," the old toad agreed.</p><p>A small silence followed, in which Jiraiya observed those present. Hiruzen and Shikaku seemed to have been convinced and were calm, Kakashi was still a bit shaken by the meeting with his lost friend. The only one who seemed to continue brooding was Ibiki.</p><p>"Hokage-sama," he began inflexible, "I would like to ask your permission to subject them to a T&amp;I interrogation."</p><p>
  <em>… Shit.</em>
</p><p>That was to be avoided. He hoped that even his guarantee alone could prevent him, not counting the confirmation of the Toads, but apparently he had underestimated Ibiki's paranoia.</p><p>Fortunately, they also had a solution for that case. Fukasaku immediately intervened, visibly worried.</p><p>"Are you going to use a Yamanaka to observe their memories?" he asked him.</p><p>Ibiki frowned. “Yes, that's the procedure”.</p><p>There was a little silence, then: "I advise against it."</p><p>Her straightforward decision surprised everyone present, even Jiraiya pretended to be.</p><p>"May I ask why?" Shikaku asked.</p><p>Fukasaku sighed. "Did he tell you about his mother?" He waited for everyone to nod before continuing. “The ninjas who attacked them used a technique very similar to those of the Yamanaka, certainly not the same but very similar. They entered his head and psychologically tortured him to get his mother to talk, and then killed her with the same technique". He paused for a long time so that the words were carefully assimilated with all their weight. "When he came to us he was shocked and terrified, his mind a disaster after that abuse. There is no permanent damage left, you can rest assured about that, but there are still scars that can be painful. I can assure you that if he or someone he loves were to undergo that technique again, he would defend himself by instinct ". Another pause. "The kid is strong enough," he concluded.</p><p>Jiraiya saw the seriousness in the Hokage's eyes, after that last story he seemed to have taken him to heart.</p><p>"At this point, Ibiki-san, I am forced to withdraw the permit."</p><p>The head of the Special Division was evidently disappointed, but did not contest the order and nodded.</p><p>"So we decide to trust them," Shikaku translated.</p><p>"We decide to trust," confirmed Hiruzen.</p><p>Inside, Jiraiya could sing victory.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"There is only one thing left to clarify," Hiruzen resumed when Fukasaku was let go and he could see Jiraiya's expression of joy freeze in a worried way. He decided that later, separately, he would ask why he was so fond of this stranger. Although he actually could have suspected that the resemblance to the deceased pupil had had an important factor.</p><p>Whatever it was, he took his now empty pipe and put it on the desk.</p><p>“Uzumaki Naruto,” he explained, “will remain a taboo subject until we have no longer defined their intentions. Until we know if they are sincere and their story is definitively confirmed, no one should tell them about Uzumaki Naruto ”he decreed.</p><p>He could see Jiraiya's disapproval.</p><p>"He is his nephew," he said in fact. "Don't you think he would immediately become very loyal to the Leaf in discovering that he already has a family here?"</p><p>“We will not endanger the life of Uzumaki Naruto. His existence must remain a secret for Iwa and Kumo ”.</p><p>"Did you hear Pa '" he objected irritably. "Nozomi is strong and from my little clash with him I can say that Obito also has some tricks up his sleeve".</p><p>"I'm not asking for your advice," noted the more authoritarian Hokage. "I am giving you an order based on the safety of our Jinchūriki."</p><p>No other breath, only Jiraiya accentuated his dissatisfied expression and looked away childishly in disagreement.</p><p>He sighed and already missed his pipe. He turned to Kakashi.</p><p>“You and your ANBU team will make sure they don't come into contact during this probationary period. Also, all your next missions outside the village are canceled. Your presence will be required in case they turn out to be dishonest and attack ”.</p><p>Though in his heart he hoped they weren't, but he always had to be prepared for the worst. So he turned to Ibiki again:</p><p>“I want ANBU to constantly monitor them as long as I see fit. We will also prepare an investigative team that, starting from the evidence gathered by Jiraiya, will confirm their story ”.</p><p>He remained in a meditative silence, wondering if there were any other matters to settle in private. Maybe later he should have talked to Jiraiya about why he didn't want Danzō at this presentation. Finally he shook his head and gestured to Shikaku.</p><p>"Get them back".</p><p>The jōnin went to the door as ordered, but once opened a sustained bellicose tone invaded the room. No one had grasped the words correctly, being in the middle of a sentence, but they all noticed the agitated expression of Nozomi, Obito reaching out towards the third component with his eye flashing with anger and finally Fugaku, who had the curious expression of a child scolded and offended.</p><p>Oh, that's interesting.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Nozomi seemed disappointed to notice, once he returned to the room, that Fukasaku had left without saying goodbye, but he also seemed relieved to be able to get away from the two arguing Uchiha. Kakashi was dying of curiosity to know what they were saying until a second before, Obito was obviously furious while Fugaku looked slightly altered, which was saying something.</p><p>"I hope you had a good time," the Hokage commented, his little black eyes shining with undisguised irony.</p><p>Fugaku snorted looking for his composure. "Family matters".</p><p>"Now that Obito is back, you will have time to discuss it," he teased one last time. Sometimes Kakashi found himself appreciating this hidden side of Sandaime, especially when he teased the most prominent members of the clans.</p><p>"Of course," Fukagu agreed gravely.</p><p>"Fukasaku?" Nozomi asked, looking around the room, as if he hoped to find the wise toad hiding somewhere. He found that behavior very childish but, perhaps due to the association with Minato, he was moved by it.</p><p>"He's gone as soon as he confirmed your story," Hiruzen explained with a benevolent smile, then added solemnly, "We'd be happy to welcome you as Konoha's shinobi."</p><p>Nozomi's gaze lit up. "And we are grateful to accept," he assured him and turned to Obito. "Ne, isn't it?"</p><p>He nodded, not showing the same enthusiasm.</p><p>"We will shortly provide you with your identification tags and a hitai-ate," the Hokage continued. “We will also have to figure out which rank to assign you to. The last time you were here, Obito, you were a chūnin, but in the bingo book you were classified as a grade S nukenin along with your partner ".</p><p>Uchiha seemed bewildered by that sudden attention. "I trained on my own," he explained.</p><p>"That's why I'd like to have a little meeting, a kind of friendly fight, so I can see your skills."</p><p>He saw the Sandaime turning towards him. "They will fight you and a member of your ANBU squad of your choice."</p><p>He mentally sifted through his chances of him, but then decided to play it safe.</p><p>"Tenzō will be fine," he stated.</p><p>There was something in Nozomi's eyes that he could not decipher, as if he had recognized his name, but it was impossible since the existence of his companion was kept secret and the enemies only knew him by his ANBU name.</p><p>"We were considered to be S-grade," he said, almost straggling. “Don't underestimate us”.</p><p>He frowned at him. "I'm not doing this," he said.</p><p>Tenzo's ability to control wood alone made him a tiring opponent, not to mention that he was used to working as a team with him, they would adapt well to any situation.</p><p>In another circumstance he would have remained intolerant of such an assignment, but he was not that time. He would fight Obito again, years later, in a friendly match. He was curious to see how he had improved, to know this consummate man he had in front of him. Plus he also wanted to show him how good he had become at handling his sharingan, that he had used it and honored his memory in that way. Then there was his sensei's brother, he too seemed an interesting guy to deal with.</p><p>He then found himself being impatient and asked: "When?"</p><p>"In two days," the Hokage considered. “Time to allow us to prepare a suitable training ground and for our new recruits to settle in. Oh, about that… ”he added as if to remember something just now, he turned to Nozomi and gave him a warm look. “As Minato's brother, I believe it is right for you to be able to establish yourself in the Namikaze complex. After all, it's your home.” He stretched his lips into a smile.</p><p>Kakashi remembered the complex, he had visited it often when Minato was Hokage and he had a duty to supervise Kushina's pregnancy. Sometimes they had even hosted him to sleep in the guest room. It had been years since he had entered there, the empty and dusty rooms were too much to bear. But now perhaps that house would resume the life of the past.</p><p>"I would like that very much, sir" said the blond boy with emotion in his eyes.</p><p>The Hokage seemed softened, then turned to Obito.</p><p>"Also I am sure that you will be able to return to the Uchiha district ..."</p><p>"I'm with Nozomi" he interrupted him quickly, quietly. As if he took it for granted that he would continue to live with his travel companion, as if he didn't even have to ask.</p><p>Once again he felt an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach that he could not classify. Perhaps because he should have been the friend who hosted him in his own home, but he had to be realistic: he lived in a makeshift apartment that was a hole enough for one person, not to mention that this Obito <em>hated</em> him.</p><p>In any case, as soon as he said it, Fugaku's lips twitched with irritation and he suspected they were discussing just that first in the hallway.</p><p>"As you like"  hastened to add Hiruzen after a moment of surprise. “I'd say that's all for now. We will postpone the paperwork after your sparring, ”he considered.</p><p>There was a moment of stasis, in which no one really knew what to do. Kakashi didn't know whether to self-quit or not, as he used to do to annoy those present, but he wanted to find a moment to be alone with Obito and talk. He needed to explain.</p><p>"Fugaku-san" called the Sandaime. "Would you be kind enough to accompany Nozomi-san and Obito-san to the Namikaze complex?"</p><p>It was evident that the leader of the Uchiha did not want to stay with the relative after the discussion had, but he did not protest. He bowed quietly and respectfully.</p><p>At which Hiruzen sighed: "Go".</p><p>All the shinobi left the room, except Jiraiya.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He was excited, he couldn't remember the last time he felt so positively agitated.</p><p>Nozomi couldn't stop looking around, dwelling on the people and observing the city. He had almost forgotten what Konoha looked like before Orochimaru's attack, which had destroyed a good part of it. It was as he walked through those streets that he realized that he had really come back.</p><p>Beside him the two Uchiha walked silently and stiffly, but it wasn't a problem. He was used to being with Sasuke even in his darkest days as a child, so he wasn't afraid of Uchiha's bad mood and knew perfectly well how to fill in the conversation gaps. So he spoke in bursts all the way down the street, putting into words any thought he could think of.</p><p>He was so busy babbling and looking around that he didn't notice the little black thing crashing into him until it was too late. He instinctively reached out a hand to prevent the child from falling to the ground and...</p><p>Well, he didn't remember that as a child Sasuke was <em>so small</em>.</p><p>He watched in amazement at the two charcoal spheres staring at him under the confusion of a disheveled black fringe. He smiled and let the child go, sure that he would not risk losing his balance, and little Uchiha backed away.</p><p>"Sasuke" Fugaku sighed wearily. It was the first word he had said since leaving the Hokage and he hadn't said it in a happy tone.</p><p>"Sasuke! I told you not to run through the streets ”.</p><p>Nozomi looked up from his best friend's small counterpart to the older boy who had joined them. His face was a white mask, but his eyes shone with an affectionate exasperation.</p><p>Uchiha Itachi.</p><p>It was extremely strange to associate that image, a child, with the sad and mysterious man who had believed he had to fight for a good part of his life.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Itachi said with a small bow of apology, then turned to his father. "He had seen You and wanted to reach you, I could not stop him".</p><p>"I understand," assured Fugaku. "It's not your fault that your little brother is negligent."</p><p>"Maaa!" Sasuke whimpered in disbelief.</p><p>The father looked at him sternly. "Apologize to the sir immediately."</p><p>As Sasuke puffed up his cheeks in an offended pout, Nozomi felt a pang in his heart. It was hard to think that the icy best friend had once been so cute. Seeing him only made Nozomi's smile more genuine and his determination stronger than him.</p><p>He would punch the fate of the Uchiha family in the face in order to ensure that Sasuke retains this innocence for as long as possible.</p><p>"I'm sorry" at the end he offered the child as if it were an accusation, as if it were his fault that he ran into him while he was running.</p><p>Nozomi giggled. "It’s okay, kiddo," he assured him and reached out with one hand to ruffle the hair on the back of his neck. At that gesture he saw Itachi stiffen, as if ready to shoot, and so did Sasuke even if out of indignation at having been touched. In fact, he escaped as soon as possible between his brother's legs, a warlike and unhappy look.</p><p>Itachi was now watching him curiously, trying to figure out what he was doing with his father. Fugaku realized this too, because he decided to give an explanation to his eldest son.</p><p>“Itachi, these are two new Konoha shinobi. Uchiha Obito and Uzumaki Nozomi ”and in saying it he made a sign with his fingers in a discreet way, but that Nozomi noticed anyway.</p><p>He knew him well, it was what the shinobi also used in his timeline when they wanted to say that the Kyūbi topic should not be named.</p><p>"Obito-san, Nozomi-san, these are my children, Itachi and Sasuke."</p><p>Nozomi felt curiously observed by the smallest.</p><p>"Uzumaki like Nar..."</p><p>He was promptly stopped by his brother, who picked him up and stopped him from continuing the sentence. Itachi instead observed Obito, who until then had remained on the sidelines, stared in particular at the blindfold instead of his left eye.</p><p>"Are you the Uchiha who gave the sharingan to Kakashi-senpai?" he asked him polite.</p><p>Obito nodded. “It was a gift”.</p><p>"Now that he's back he'll get him back, anyway," Fugaku interjected.</p><p>… And Nozomi clearly understood from whom Sasuke had taken his total absence of tact. The man had said it a bit abruptly, as if it were an obviousness that wasn't even worth discussing.</p><p>Too bad that Obito did not appreciate. "I said it's a gift," he pointed out.</p><p>For a moment he feared they might want to argue <em>again</em> in the middle of the street, but luckily Fugaku seemed to realize this was not the right time. Especially with his kids staring at them, Nozomi figured he didn't want to be seen challenged by anyone.</p><p>"Go home," he said in fact. "Tell your mother I'll be there later."</p><p>Itachi seemed very curious, but he didn't disobey his father and after greeting the two new shinobi he walked away.</p><p>"Your children are really cute, Fugaku-san!" he tried to say light-hearted, to ease the tension between the two Uchiha.</p><p>It obviously didn't work.</p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>“I didn't know it had so many rooms! And it was so big! "</p><p>Obito did not share Nozomi's enthusiasm, intent on studying the shabby manor house. He had expected to find it in worse condition, but there would still be some work to do before making it perfectly livable.</p><p>It was very large, in a traditional style with tatami mats and sliding doors, a porch ran along its outer perimeter, and it was two stories high. The garden that surrounded it was overgrown, with tall grass hiding the paved path and a small empty pond. He figured that originally it must have koi carp. It had been equipped with training grounds, one outside at the back of the garden, one inside in an underground floor reinforced with seals.</p><p>It also had a large main room, a recreation room, kitchen with dining room, master bedrooms, guest bedrooms, a study, a library and two bathrooms.</p><p>For just two people it was too big, he considered as he looked around.</p><p><em>Well, maybe not just two people</em>, he corrected himself.</p><p>He remembered the chakra he had felt as they reached the house and decided it was worth checking out. Although they didn't know anything about Naruto, the Hokage couldn't think they were stupid enough to sense his chakra without asking questions.</p><p>He was not surprised to see three Nozomi start running around the rooms, he must have called some Kage Bushin to help with the renovation.</p><p>"Since you're in company" he said ironically towards the stairs leading upstairs, "I'll leave it to you."</p><p>"Hey!" Nozomi looked out, he couldn't tell if the real one or a clone. "You have to help me with the Mokuton!"</p><p>"Later," he assured him. "In the meantime, you clean around," he indicated with his hand vaguely.</p><p>"I don't take orders from you," he heard shouts.</p><p>He smirked. "Not even me from you," he reminded him.</p><p>"At least leave me a clone so I don't feel alone," he complained.</p><p>He pretended to think about it, but in reality it was something he was already planning to do. He had noticed the ANBU that he was following them, so he preferred to throw him off in some way. So he left a clone of his own and activated a genjutsu, then sneaked out of the house and walked off back to Konoha. It was located a bit far from the center, closer to the woods and for this reason there was little confusion.</p><p>Once in the village he began to look around, looking for the same spark of chakra that he had felt before. He walked the streets, not caring about the people who stopped to look at his ruined face and keeping his chakra level low. He didn't want to be discovered, but when he sensed someone following him he didn't care, his chakra was still familiar despite everything. He then continued to seek his target of him.</p><p>He found <em>him</em> shortly after, on a busier street than the others. But he immediately noticed something strange: people walked to the side of it, leaving the space in between free. They seemed to be doing everything they could not to approach the blond boy walking in the center, who pretended nothing happened, as if it wasn't strange to be avoided like that.</p><p>"Monster…"</p><p>He heard a woman whisper close to him before he hurriedly walked away. But other civilians stood staring at him, not worrying about being shameless, occasionally exchanging a word with the neighbor. What he picked up was nothing friendly.</p><p>He frowned at that scene, Nozomi had told him that as a child he was frowned upon by the people of the Village, but he didn't think in that external way. They were not just fleeting glances, they were just open around him to stare at him maliciously and insult him without using a low tone, they had no problem showing the same child how hated he was. It was horrible behavior.</p><p>Concerned by what he was seeing, he began following the boy on his way to a playground.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Eeeee we're officially in!<br/>From the next chapter the plot begins to mesh seriously, the time for introductory chat is over! <br/>There will be an arch where Nozomi and Obito take their first steps in Konoha, starting to stir things up a bit ...<br/>But little Naruto has finally appeared! What will happen now that Obito has found him? xD<br/>Thank you very much for the reviews received !! You were so cute çwç<br/>To the next chapter !!</p><p>Ps, in case you might be interested I started translating another obinaru story of mine, an omegaverse set during the warring states &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. I see the children in the rain like the parade before the pain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He felt angry. From confusion, fear and sadness, this last emotion also exploded: anger. It burned his stomach and made his eyes shine, because it wasn't right that they treated him like that, he didn't deserve it. He clenched his hands into fists and yelled:<br/>“I'm not a demon! I am Uzumaki Naruto and I will become Hokage, believe it!"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>HELLO WONDERS! BEFORE LEAVING YOU TO THE CHAPTER, I MAKE A LITTLE SCHEME ON THE AGES OF THE VARIOUS CHARACTERS ^^<br/>• In the canon, Kaguya's arrival occurs on the night of Naruto's 17th birthday. In this story, it took almost two years for the seal to be fully completed, so when Naruto goes back in time, he's 19.<br/>• He meets with Obito who is 20 years old (six years after the Kyūbi attack, which took place when he was 14).<br/>• From here a year and a half passes before Jiraiya finds them and it happens in the spring, so Naruto / Nozomi is 21 while Obito has made 22 in February.<br/>• When they arrive in Konoha it is summer, more precisely we are at the end of June, and in October it will be eight years since the Kyūbi attack. From this it follows that the main characters have respectively:<br/>Nozomi: 21 almost 22.<br/>Obito: 22.<br/>Kakashi: 21, will be 22 in September.<br/>Naruto: 7 years old, it will be 8 years in October.<br/>Sasuke: 7 years old, it will be 8 years at the end of July.<br/>Sakura: she is already 8 years old (she was born in March).<br/>Shisui: 15 years old, in October it will be 16.<br/>Itachi: Turned 13 in June.<br/>Yamato: 17 years old, in August it will be 18 (I know, he is practically a child lol)<br/>Iruka: in May he turned 18 (we do not know canonically when he became a teacher at the Academy, but he has been one for a year in history).<br/>Gai: in January he turned 22.</p><p>Okay, these are more or less the main ones, just to give you some guidelines. Obviously I don't start calculating the age of characters like Fugaku, Hiruzen or Jiraiya xD we all know they are older than Nozomi.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto was sitting on top of the slide and watched the hidden group of children on the pitch in red clay. They were making teams to play baseball, but they were odd in number and so they were fighting over how to do it, because obviously no team wanted to be at a disadvantage. He thought that if he joined then they would become even and there would be no disadvantages, maybe they would allow him to play with them this time.</p><p>Hesitant he turned his eyes to their parents. They were a little apart, close enough to monitor their children and intervene if something happened. But they also seemed very busy in their conversations, perhaps they would not have noticed that he had joined their children.</p><p>Yes, it could work.</p><p>Determined to finally make friends, he quickly got off the slide and ran towards the children.</p><p>"Hey, are you missing a player ?!" he asked with optimism. "I can play if you want".</p><p>They all turned to him and a sudden silence fell over the park, in stark contrast to the laughter and ringing voices from before. They stared at him almost in disbelief that he had gone to talk to them and some had even stepped back. Naruto felt the courage he had mustered deflate, but he didn't give up.</p><p>“We don't miss a player,” one of the older children finally said.</p><p>He frowned, because he had learned to count by now and so Naruto knew he was lying.</p><p>"That's not true, there are seven of you!"</p><p>Now the other children began to get nervous too, and the parents fell silent, realizing that he had joined their children. They had stopped talking happily to whisper to each other too low sentences for him to hear, but even so he could guess them.</p><p>"We don't want to play with a nobody like you," then declared the first who spoke, even taking a threatening step forward.</p><p>At that show of strength the other children also became animated.</p><p>"Yes, we don't want to play with you!"</p><p>A little girl pointed her finger at her face. “Look at you, you suck! You have mustaches like cats! "</p><p>That last comment humiliated him and disheartened him he tried to turn around to run away, but the children had surrounded him in a circle.</p><p>"It looks like an animal," agreed another. "He's really a monster."</p><p>"Unsurprisingly, nobody wants him!"</p><p>"I bet his parents left him because he's ugly."</p><p>That was a low blow that made Naruto's eyes go wide. He wondered if it was true, if it was for the fact that he had no parents, after all Jiji never answered him when he asked where they were. Maybe they had really abandoned him because he disgusted him, like everyone else.</p><p>He tried to protest somehow, but the group drowned out his faint voice growing tighter and tighter. He began to be afraid, so he reacted instinctively and hit someone who got too close.</p><p>"Ouch, he bit me!" a little girl screamed.</p><p>He looked at her in shock. It wasn't true, Naruto had just pushed to keep her away from him. But her shrill scream completely caught the attention of her parents.</p><p>"Ugly demon, what do you think you're doing ?!" she spat out her mother as she approached her as if to protect her from him.</p><p>"He hurt me, Mom," she cried.</p><p>The other parents also approached taking their children and pushing them away, as if they were really afraid he would bite them. Naruto felt their eyes on him and shivered. He trembled because he didn't know how to do anything else in front of those cold and resentful eyes that accused him of something he didn't understand.</p><p>"I didn't bite her ..." he protested.</p><p>"Stay away from our children!" interrupted a furious parent.</p><p>"You don't have to play with them," another scolded him severely.</p><p>"But…"</p><p>He didn't understand that wickedness, he didn't understand why everyone was angry with him. He didn't do anything, he just asked to be able to play with them.</p><p>"We don't want a demon like you!" still dazzled.</p><p>He felt angry. From confusion, fear and sadness, this last emotion also exploded: anger. It burned his stomach and made his eyes shine, because it wasn't right that they treated him like that, he didn't deserve it. He clenched his hands into fists and yelled:</p><p>“I'm not a demon! I am Uzumaki Naruto and I will become Hokage, believe it!"</p><p>There was a small silence of dismay among the adults, until one recovered and seemed furious to hear him say such a thing. He shivered even more as he saw the adult approaching, one hand raised. Naruto knew that tense pose, a slap was coming.</p><p>"You, you fucking ..."</p><p>Before he could hit him, someone materialized beside him and grabbed the adult's arm, preventing him from lowering his hand to his cheek.</p><p>Naruto held his breath and stared at the stranger, wondering when he had arrived. He was tall, much more than the parent, and wore dark clothing shinobi, but he hadn’t the hallmark of the Leaf. He had firmly grasped the man's wrist and held it up high, his gaze so serious and dangerous it made his skin crawl.</p><p>"What do you think you are doing?" he hissed, tilting his head.</p><p>Only then did Naruto notice the scars that jagged the entire right side of his face. Maybe that was what had made the horrified parent's eyes widen. In fact, he tried to move away, but the shinobi held him firmly to the wrist, so strong that Naruto almost suspected he was about to break his arm.</p><p>"Who the fuck are you?" then the parent spat.</p><p>The shinobi did not answer, only increased his grip making the man whiten even more. Now the children looked really scared and hid behind the horrified parents' legs.</p><p>"Oi ..." stammered one worried.</p><p>Naruto jumped to his feet and clung to him, frightened.</p><p>"Let him go," he pleaded. "You're hurting him."</p><p>The eyes of the unknown shinobi rested on him and he shivered realizing that one was missing and the other was blood red, in that face deformed by scars it was even more frightening.</p><p>The shinobi, however, stared at him only curiously, without a real surprise, and listened to him. He let go of the civilian as if he were a useless ant and looked at him with contempt as he backed away.</p><p>He was holding his wrist and now that he was released he was staring at him in outrage.</p><p>"Aren't you going to thank him?" the ninja asked calmly. He had a strange, worn voice, as if his vocal cords didn't work well, like when he cries too much.</p><p>Naruto was no longer understanding anything.</p><p>He didn't understand why that scary ninja was taking up his defense, or why he seemed to be so angry with that civilian. Besides, he had never seen him around, certainly he was not from Konoha.</p><p>That question seemed to piss off the parent, who made a resentful grimace.</p><p>“Should I thank this monster? You are crazy…"</p><p>The shinobi took a threatening step forward, but another strange thing happened. Another ninja appeared, this one with more disheveled white hair and Konoha's uniform, who stopped the first by putting a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"Maaa" he said lightly, "are there any problems?"</p><p>Really, Naruto wasn't understanding anything anymore!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kakashi was relieved that he had decided to follow Obito. As soon as he was fired from the Hokage he followed them at a distance to the Namikaze complex, where he wanted to help tidy up. But then he had seen Obito drop their ANBU guard in a genjutsu and sneak away. He had been very intrigued by that behavior, so he had decided to follow him. He had been hesitant whether to intervene or not when he saw him notice Naruto's presence, but since he hadn't tried to approach him he had given up. After all, what he had seen was only a blond child shunned by people. A blond child who looked particularly like their sensei and his traveling companion, but nevertheless Kakashi had shrugged and watched him curiously without intervening.</p><p>Until that park scene.</p><p>"Maaa, are there any problems?" Kakashi asked unleashing his most reassuring tone, despite all the firm grip on Obito's shoulder. What did he want to do? Assault a civilian?</p><p>"Shinobi-san!" the civilian barked at seeing the possibility of asserting his reason. "This Uchiha almost broke my arm!"</p><p>He saw Obito stiffen and narrow his eye.</p><p>"I still have time to do it," he threatened gutturally and Kakashi saw the man wince and back away a little more.</p><p>"Why don't you go home?" he then proposed quietly. “I'll take care of it here”.</p><p>Fortunately he did not have to insist too much, at the first request the civilian left and with him all the other parents accompanied by their children. The latter glanced back with confusion and terror.</p><p>Well, that's it.</p><p>He then turned to the sensei's son, but tried to avoid looking directly at him. The resemblance of him to Minato hurt and he reminded him of how much a failure he was.</p><p>"Go home, ne?" he proposed politely.</p><p>But the boy was still staring at Obito in surprise, as if he were trying to process what had just happened. His blue eyes scowled at the scars.</p><p>"Then?" he insisted worriedly and his tone made him jump.</p><p>"I ..." he tried, pursed his lips and frowned. "Thank you," he offered in a grunt to Obito before turning and running away, on the opposite side where the civilians had headed.</p><p>He waited until if he had gone far enough, then sighed and summoned the ANBU that was supposed to supervise the child, who should have protected him.</p><p>"Why didn't you intervene?" he asked him putting his hands in his pockets.</p><p>The ANBU wore the mask of a mouse and looked like a kid, perhaps he was one of the first recruits. But after all, guarding the Jinchūrike was the duty of the newcomers.</p><p>"They were civilians, sir," he explained nervously.</p><p>He sighed, in spite of himself resigned and knowing full well that he couldn't blame him too much. He was right, they were civilians, the ANBUs couldn't attack them.</p><p>"Next time make sure that such a thing does not happen."</p><p>"Yes, sir".</p><p>Kakashi fired him so that he could return to follow the child, then turned to Obito. He was surprised to find him still there, he was almost resigned to the idea that he was gone.</p><p>"It is always like this?" he asked belligerently.</p><p>Something from his gaze made him realize that he understood perfectly who that child was.</p><p>"Unfortunately," he replied reluctantly.</p><p>He did not like to admit that while they managed to protect him from external threats, they still could not with internal ones.</p><p>Obito seemed to get even more angry.</p><p>"And you just let them go?" he hissed.</p><p>"They were civilians."</p><p>He felt pathetic to repeat the same justification of the ANBU, but unfortunately that was precisely the fact: they could not attack civilians.</p><p>He felt stared at in disbelief, as if he wasn't sure he really heard it. But then he shook his head with a cold, disgusted laugh.</p><p>"You're always the same scum."</p><p>"I…"</p><p>“He is the son of Minato and Kushina and you allow them to treat him like this? Because they are <em>civilians</em> ?! " he growled the last word.</p><p>"These are the orders of the Hokage, I can't ..."</p><p>"Sure, go ahead" he interrupted him once again. “Hide behind orders again. I see that things don't change, the rules are even more important to you than people ”.</p><p>He tried to argue, because it was no longer true, he was no longer that grumpy and cold child. But Obito teleported before he could do it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Good morning!<br/>This week a shorter chapter. The next one will be longer.<br/>So what do you think? This is Naruto's official entry into the story and his first meeting with Obito. Did you like it? Despite the bullying he endures ;___; My baby &lt;3<br/>Thank you so much for comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Obito's bet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Obito," he greeted, not hiding his surprise, "is there any problem?"<br/>"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto".<br/>It was really hard not to freeze at that all too direct answer, but he did his best not to be upset. He then stared at him puzzled, with a questioning look and a peaceful air.<br/>"Who?"<br/>Obito didn't fall for it and just narrowed his eyes tighter. "The son of Minato".<br/>That was a problem.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Sandaime was finishing reading the report that Jiraiya had left him, regarding everything he had found about Nozomi and Obito as a testimony of their honesty, when the latter swooped into his office. He threw open the doors suddenly and ignored the assistant who was in vain trying to stop him.</p><p>Hiruzen frowned at the curtness, but preferred to give a gentle nod.</p><p>"Obito," he greeted, not hiding his surprise, "is there any problem?"</p><p>"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto".</p><p>It was really hard not to freeze at that all too direct answer, but he did his best not to be upset. He then stared at him puzzled, with a questioning look and a peaceful air.</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>Obito didn't fall for it and just narrowed his eyes tighter. "The son of Minato".</p><p>That was a problem.</p><p>He abandoned the expression of a confused old man and addressed a clear signal to the assistant, who left the room closing the door, immediately after activating the privacy seals.</p><p>He took his pipe and began fumbling with it to light it.</p><p>"So?" he asked Obito. "How did you find out?"</p><p>Obito made a face. "I think it's inevitable given his resemblance to Minato," he pointed out. "I felt his chakra and I wanted to check".</p><p>Hiruzen sighed, he had hoped they didn't cross paths soon but apparently he was too optimistic. It was obvious that he would recognize Naruto, since he had been a pupil of Minato.</p><p>"See, he's ..."</p><p>"The Jinchūrike of Kyūbi," he crossed his arms over his chest, "I noticed it."</p><p>That conversation could only get worse, all his intentions of secrecy were blown in a few hours. There was only to make sure of one last thing:</p><p>"Does Nozomi-san know?"</p><p>Obito gave him a strange look, as if he was evaluating the answer.</p><p>"Not yet," he finally resolved.</p><p>"I wish I didn't tell him." Hiruzen masked his order in a form of courtesy.</p><p>In response, he received a sidelong glance.</p><p>“Why should I do this? Why didn't <em>you</em> tell him about his brother's son?" he added more incisively.</p><p>"Your situation is still delicate and under observation," he decided to be equally blunt. "Before deciding anything, we want to make sure we trust Nozomi, for the same safety as Naruto ..."</p><p>"Safety?" he repeated amused. “Despite what he apparently goes through every day? Are you really worrying about his safety? "</p><p>"ANBU guards guard him every ..." he began to explain, but was again interrupted. That boy had a serious inability to let others finish their sentences, he thought.</p><p>"I noticed, but what good are they if they don't intervene?" Obito blurted out. "An emotional abuse is as dangerous as a physical injury and you let the villagers treat him that way!"</p><p>Hiruzen did not have to ask what he meant, it was enough for little Naruto to leave the house for him to be at the center of malicious glances or some insult, and unfortunately he knew it well.</p><p>"Naruto will become a shinobi, he has to learn to be strong."</p><p>A long silence followed, in which he found himself submitting to Obito's shocked gaze which became more and more contemptuous.</p><p>"Sure, of course." He trembled at last in ill-contained anger. "What else did I expect from the Hokage who sent <em>children to war</em>?"</p><p>This time Hiruzen found himself squinting. Besides the fact that he didn't like that tone, he also didn't appreciate him blaming him for his past choices. He made difficult and painful choices, it is true, but they were in wartime and no choice was simple. He had always acted for Konoha's sake, trying to limit the damage as much as possible. He knew he had made a lot of mistakes, so he asked for a fine as best he could, but he couldn't tolerate a subordinate he had deserted for years prosecuting him.</p><p>"Do you hold a grudge against me?" he still managed to ask in a calm tone.</p><p>Obito gave him a strange look and his detached response left him very amazed.</p><p>"In the world, not in you especially". He was silent for a second, then asked, "Who's looking after Naruto?"</p><p>“The ANBUs in rotation”.</p><p>“I mean who he lives with”.</p><p>He lit his pipe and brought it to his lips before answering, already thinking of the tornado that would erupt at his answer.</p><p>"Nobody".</p><p>Obito took a few seconds to react, but he didn't get as angry as he expected. He just shook his head.</p><p>“Tonight, Nozomi and I are going to get him”.</p><p>He didn't like that final tone and he got up from his chair.</p><p>"This is forbidden to you and you are forbidden to talk to Nozomi about Naruto!"</p><p>"He's his nephew!" he growled. “And we can protect him better than your pathetic ANBU guards are. He's not even eight years old and you let him live alone! "</p><p>Hiruzen wondered if Obito had realized he had pulled out the sharingan, but that was just the latest lack of respect for him.</p><p>"My patience is not infinite," the Hokage alerted him vibrantly with authority, in a tone that made even Danzo retreat. But not Obito, he didn't even look down and stared at him defiantly.</p><p>"Not even mine," he said in clear threat.</p><p>Hiruzen could hear his ANBUs shudder to intervene at a signal from him, but he didn't want to get to that point. If there was a fight, their position in Konoha would be compromised and, despite everything, he wanted Obito to stay in Konoha, at home, and he wanted to be able to trust Nozomi.</p><p>Fortunately, Obito too seemed to realize he was near a point of no return and decided to take a step back. His figure ceased to vibrate threateningly and even withdrew the sharingan, but he did not abandon his scowl.</p><p>“In two days,” he began slowly, “at sparring we will show you that we can protect your precious <em>Jinchūriki</em>. If we win, he'll come and live with Nozomi ” he finished, his voice bubbling like hot lava.</p><p>Hiruzen's frown increased, annoyed by the way he had pointed out <em>Jinchūriki</em> with his contemptuous tone. Naruto wasn't just the Jinchūriki, that wasn't the only reason why he had a duty to protect him: he was the son of Minato and Kushina. This was worth more than anything else and that was why he couldn't easily give him up.</p><p>"It is not your inability to protect him that I fear," he thundered. "I don't know if I can trust you."</p><p>He received another indecipherable look.</p><p>"Maybe it's better not to trust me," he said apparently calm, like a flat sea that hid invisible sea eddies beneath. "But it is wrong not to trust Nozomi and I will prove it to you".</p><p>He felt the sense of threat, like an ultimatum approaching.</p><p>“In two days, at sparring”, he repeated with the same slowness, “I will try to kill Kakashi but I won’t succeed, because Nozomi will stop me as soon as he realizes it. When it happens, because this is how it will go, you will understand that you can trust Nozomi and you will tell him about his nephew ”.</p><p>Hiruzen stared at him, wondering if it was time to call the ANBUs. Obito was threatening to kill one of his best shinobi and he could see that he would, that it wasn't an empty threat. But he could also see the confidence he had in knowing that he would be stopped, the knowledge that Nozomi would step in and fight him in favor of a stranger.</p><p>It wasn't a threat: it was a bet.</p><p>"What if he doesn't stop you?" he asked calmly.</p><p>A strange snort came out of his nose, as if he found it even absurd to think so.</p><p>“He's going to stop me and kick my ass. You can be sure of it ”.</p><p>"No," he said anyway, because it wasn't a risk he could take. "You do not…"</p><p>"It wasn't a proposal," he interrupted quietly. “I just described what will happen in two days. Maybe you can try to stop me now, but if you try, I'll catch Naruto, we'll leave and you'll lose any shinobi you put in our tracks. "</p><p>It wasn't a scenario that Hiruzen could accept, but he couldn't give in to a threat like that, he was still the Hokage. He found himself in a terrible stalemate, because he knew that at the slightest negative sign of him Obito would do it, he could see it in his face. Jiraiya had told him that he possessed a space-time technique, if he had used it to kidnap Naruto it would have been difficult to track him down.</p><p>"It's a risky ultimatum," he commented.</p><p>"It's not an ultimatum" Obito contradicted him. “It's a bet: trust Nozomi”.</p><p>"But if we don't, you will kidnap Naruto," he observed. "This is blackmail".</p><p>Obito seemed to have lost his temper.</p><p>"Call it what you want," he replied in a definitive tone, walked away from the desk without stopping to stare at his face. "I just expect the Professor of Konoha to know which is the wisest choice."</p><p>He did not respond to that latest provocation, he stared at him with the same warning look as he saw him leave the room. Until the end he hesitated whether to give the signal to the ANBU, but in the end his uncertainty allowed Obito to leave.</p><p>He sighed and felt tired, too tired to be able to still hold that hat on his head. He looked at the portrait of Minato and felt a subtle regret.</p><p>"Have you heard?" he then asked.</p><p>Jiraiya immediately showed himself into the room, his arms crossed and a dark expression on his face.</p><p>"Yes," he admitted and seemed to want to add more, perhaps an insult. Instead he said, “You were right to let him go. If you had tried to stop him, he would have taken Naruto ”.</p><p>That didn't make him feel better, in fact it increased his concern. If even Jiraiya took his threats seriously, it meant that making Obito an enemy was extremely dangerous.</p><p>"What do you think about it?" she then asked.</p><p>"As hot-headed as he is and deserves to be slapped several times," he began annoyed, "I'm afraid he's right."</p><p>He arched a curious eyebrow, even though he wasn't supposed to be surprised. Not a few hours earlier, Jiraiya had supported the idea of talking to Nozomi about Naruto. He must have trusted Minato's brother a lot, but he feared it was due to sentimentality.</p><p>"If he really tries to kill Kakashi, Nozomi will definitely intervene to stop him."</p><p>"I wonder why of this trust".</p><p>"On the journey to Konoha I was able to observe ... their dynamics" Jiraiya explained, "and Pa 'confirmed it by talking to me about Nozomi. He knows that Obito has a lot of grudge, but Nozomi won't let him condition him and won't let him kill a friend. Nozomi is stronger, both in strength and in will, so in the end Obito ends up always listening to him ”.</p><p>"So that's what Fukasaku-san said," he considered. “I have to have Nozomi's loyalty to have Obito's”.</p><p>"Precisely," he confirmed.</p><p>"And the loyalty that Nozomi owes to Obito?" he then asked.</p><p>From what he had seen, Obito did not seem like a person willing to accept a purely servile relationship, there must be equality between them, mutual trust.</p><p>Jiraiya smiles. “Loyalty doesn't mean letting a friend do something wrong. Being faithful also means correcting the mistakes of the other ".</p><p>He frowned and didn't comment. Hiruzen obviously knew, it was a lesson he had taught the students, he didn't need Jiraiya to remind him.</p><p>"He shouldn't have met Naruto, I had given a specific order," he sighed. “I'll have to talk to the ANBU team and give it a good grooming. Do you know what happened? "</p><p>He shook his head. "I can imagine he saw how Naruto is usually treated."</p><p>Hiruzen could catch a slight irony in his words.</p><p>"I see you think like him too," he sighed.</p><p>"I have never made a secret of it" the sannin said.</p><p>Which was true, but the Sandaime did not regret his decision. If Jiraiya had stayed in the village, he might well have thought of entrusting Naruto to him, but he hadn't. He was not safe for Naruto to live outside the village, in the midst of all the dangers that Jiraiya lived in in his espionage actions. Mikoto at the time of her had proposed to look after the son of her best friend, but offering the Kyūbi to the Uchiha when they were suspected of the attack was out of the question. The only other person he could have entrusted to him was Kakashi, but he was still a boy with worrying suicidal forces. Of course, maybe if he had had Naruto as his reason for living he would have stopped throwing himself into action with the intention of dying, but he was still his young age, at the time he was only fourteen.</p><p>Indeed, if Nozomi had shown himself to be a good person… He shook his head, not wanting to hope too much. Obito's behavior had already been too dangerous, he had to be more cautious than expected than letting himself go to daydreams.</p><p>"So, what are you going to do?" Jiraiya roused him.</p><p>"For now, I'll play him," he explained critically. “We'll see how this fight goes in two days. I will tell the ANBUs to be ready in case things go wrong. But I will postpone every decision to that moment, you can understand many things about a person from how he fights ".</p><p>Jiraiya nodded in agreement, he even thought he saw him relieved. Once again he wondered why he cared so much about those two. Once again he found the answer in his affection for Minato: one was his brother, the other his pupil; he was taken for granted that he felt a sense of closeness.</p><p>"Danzō" Hiruzen finally resolved and caught the attention of the Sannin. He knew he'd ever liked him, but he wondered why he suddenly suspected his old friend so much. “I'll have to meet him later and tell him about our guests. He will not appreciate being excluded from the decision”.</p><p>“Danzō has always hated Minato, you know,” he pointed out, “and mistrust all Uchiha. He would have opposed every argument, but now he can only accept your decision ”.</p><p>"Mhh" he buzzed. "I wonder if that's the only reason ..."</p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi felt very stupid going to the memorial. Obito was alive, he didn't need to go to the monument, if he wanted to talk to him he could go directly to him. But the truth is that after their last confrontation he didn't really want to see him again, it would have been like getting another thousand punches to the stomach.</p><p>Kakashi looked at Minato's name and sighed, "Sensei, I still don't know how to talk to Obito," he admitted.</p><p>He believed he had changed, in all those years he had lived for Konoha's comrades, preventing his comrades from dying, putting them on the same level as the missions ... He didn't always succeed, but that was what he tried to do. He had tried to protect his comrades even at the cost of dying.</p><p>Hoping to die.</p><p>He chased away that little voice that corrected him, it was not important. He wouldn't have died because Konoha needed him, but if that had happened ... well, he would have accepted it without crying too many tears.</p><p>But Obito had just proved that he was always wrong. He had once again abandoned someone in front of an order.</p><p>To be honest, he had accepted the Hokage's decision not to be able to approach Naruto even with some sort of relief, without protesting. He had told himself that it was better this way, that he was only fourteen years old, that his life in the ANBU did not allow him to look after a newborn and that all the people who approached him sooner or later died. He had limited himself to observing him as ANBU from afar to make sure that no one kidnapped him, he had never approached him and had not given him the chance to understand his presence. In Naruto's eyes he wasn't as good as the older brother Minato had wanted him to become, he was just a stranger. He hid behind an order because he was afraid of the consequences of approaching the kid.</p><p>Once again, he hid behind an order for fear of failure as his father had done.</p><p>"You're right, sensei," he sighed as if all that speech was being debated by the ghost of Minato, not his consciousness of him. "Rules aren't everything," he repeated what he had often told him as a child.</p><p>He stood up on his back and looked up at the sky. It was late, the sun had already dived beyond the walls for the sunset. If he had been quick, he would still have found an open greengrocer.</p><p>He returned to the village, around him the shops were closing but he arrived in time to do his errand, even if the remaining vegetables were very few. Then, with his beautiful basket of fruit and vegetables, he jumped on the roofs, headed for a somewhat peripheral and dirty area, with the houses climbing one another like in children's buildings. He balanced on the windowsill of one of them and placed the basket on it so it wouldn't fall, then knocked on the window.</p><p>He felt a shift inside the house, but promptly jumped onto the roof. The wind had picked up during the day, carrying leaves and dust with it. He saw little hands grab the basket, then a blond head looking left and right.</p><p>Under his mask she smiled.</p><p><em>One step at a time</em>, he told himself before jumping away from the house.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Obito did not go home immediately, he took the opportunity to observe how Konoha had changed since his childhood. He especially sought the entrance of Root, in the hope that it was not too hidden. According to Nozomi, it had been "closed" only after the Uchiha massacre, when the Hokage had lost all his trust in Danzō. So at that moment he was not acting secretly and imagined it had its own structure.</p><p>In fact, he managed to find the building that led to the underground structure in less time than expected. He remained under observation for hours, studying security and the ANBUs at the entrance. The best thing to do was find a way to get to know the interior plan, but even if his Kamui would allow it, he didn't have the time. He had to go back to Nozomi before the ANBU at their ribs was changed and they noticed the genjutsu. He still had many nights to try to know everything there was to know about Root and Danzō. He was still a year away from the Uchiha massacre, they had time to work on it and it was better to start doing it once the Hokage stopped being a stick in the ass.</p><p>With a grimace, he thought that perhaps provoking him as he had done that day had not worked to their plan.</p><p>
  <em>It doesn't matter, Nozomi will use that strange magic of him that makes him be friends with anyone and we will solve the problems of trust.</em>
</p><p>When he returned to the Namikaze complex it was very late and he found five clones cursing him for letting Nozomi have dinner alone. He eliminated one without too much regret: he was screaming in his ears and in that way he would let the other know that he was coming.</p><p>In fact, Obito didn't wait long before seeing him emerge from one of the rooms. He had his hair up with a bandana, was holding a housewife-style broom and was spattered with dust and cobwebs.</p><p>“I've been waiting for you for hours! Where have you been?" he snapped petulantly.</p><p>"I observed Root and I had a fight with the Hokage."</p><p>"Oh and what did you find ... What ?!" he shouted making the last part. "In what sense you <em>fight</em>?"</p><p>"I saw you," he explained, then realized that he had to specify: "I saw Naruto."</p><p>The reaction was immediate as it was unexpected, Obito did not imagine that at that mention he would shut up and comment only: "Oh".</p><p>He didn't know how to interpret it, which was weird. He had learned to understand Nozomi as an open book in those two years, there were rare moments in which it was incomprehensible. Above all, it was rare to see that somewhat bitter, darkened expression. He was probably thinking about how he was treated as a child.</p><p>He frowned and stared at him as if he were a complicated puzzle.</p><p>When Naruto told him about his childhood, he had always compared it to his own, believing that the villagers treated him as he was treated by the Uchiha: an unwanted person, unwanted by anyone. But he had had Rin, who had always been kind to him, and the other guys at the Academy also considered him a friend, not to mention the important presence of his grandmother.</p><p>Yet despite this, he had always felt terribly alone and devalued. Whatever he did he was always a clumsy and stupid loser in the eyes of the clan. He couldn't imagine how Nozomi must have felt without even the security of a few people who supported him.</p><p>"How can you not get angry?" he asked without realizing it.</p><p>Nozomi looked away and leaned the broom against the wall.</p><p>"But I've been angry for a long time, there was always a piece of me that wanted to destroy everything," he admitted. "Then ... I accepted it".</p><p>"You accepted it," he repeated skeptically and slightly incredulous.</p><p>He shrugged. “I couldn't go back and change the fact that they hated me, I could only work to make them accept me. And then ... I can't blame them, there has always been a great deal of confusion about the Jinchūriki and the Bijū, no one has ever properly explained what it meant. They thought I was the Kyūbi and well ... Kurama killed a lot of people that night. They thought I killed them, it is obvious that they were angry with me”.</p><p>There were so many things wrong with that speech that he wanted to reply to, but he managed to summarize it all in one sentence:</p><p>"When you do that, it pisses me to death."</p><p>Nozomi raised an eyebrow then spread out her arms.</p><p>"<em>I accepted it</em>" he made the verse. "Fuck, it seems to me instead you are suppressing your anger only because a dead and delusional teacher told you that you have to break the cycle of hatred."</p><p>Nozomi did not appreciate the reference to Jiraiya at all and the contemptuous way he had spoken, but only narrowed his eyes allowing him to continue.</p><p>“This thing cannot be healthy, sooner or later that anger will explode and you cannot hide that it is not there. You accepted it. Gods, how can you say something so quietly? We must not accept that children are treated like this! "</p><p><em>It would be like accepting that Rin had to be killed by Kakashi</em>, but he didn't dare say it out loud.</p><p>"I don't accept that such things can happen," he growled. "I accepted that it happened to me, because I can not change it, and then ...? Should I be angry with them? Kill them? Revenge is not something for me. ”He shook his head. “I prefer to direct my anger into the project of a world where no one else will suffer it. I prefer to look ahead and take care of peace ”.</p><p>"This is impossible. You cannot erase all the pain from the world ”.</p><p>"Now you talk like Nagato."</p><p>“Someone must have induced him to think so. Oh, wait: it was me ”.</p><p>Nozomi gave him a rude gesture. "I hate it when you throw up your cosmic pessimism."</p><p>He sighed. "I hate it when you play Buddha."</p><p>"I'm not being the Buddha" contradicted him by removing the band and the tufts of fringe fell on his forehead. “I'm doing what I think is right, what my teacher taught me. And I'll do it to the end, dattebayo! I will break the cycle of hatred and to do that I have to start with my hatred!"</p><p>"The Buddha, in fact," he grumbled.</p><p>Nozomi laughed this time, in that way the air soon softened and Obito too stopped feeling tense. Each time he wondered how it was possible, how Nozomi managed with a single harmless gesture to sweep away all the tension.</p><p>"So, what did you tell Jiji?"</p><p>He rolled his eyes, still struggling to believe he called one of the most powerful lords of the ninja nations in that childish way. Obito then crossed his arms and leaned his back against the wall behind him.</p><p>"Nothing. I told him to trust you and tell you about the brat. "</p><p>"And?" Nozomi did not let herself be enchanted.</p><p>"... And I may have threatened to kidnap Naruto if he doesn't."</p><p>He expected him to get angry and hit him with the broom, instead he just sighed.</p><p>"With Jiraiya we had decided not to talk about me ... about Naruto," he corrected himself. "We would have waited for the Hokage to trust us without pushing him, so as not to appear dangerous."</p><p>He knew what they had decided, but he had never said he agreed.</p><p>"Well, I was pissed off" he cut him short.</p><p>"Let's just hope we don't find an ANBU army at the door accused of threatening the Hokage just because you are pissed off. I don't think they accept it as an explanation "he joked.</p><p>"As if you couldn't take us away with hiraishin".</p><p>"And officially become nukenin?" he murmured a little bitterly. "I'd rather ... here..."</p><p>"I know," he replied, relieving him of the burden of having to continue.</p><p>Nozomi wanted to stay in Konoha, he wanted his home. Maybe Konan was really right, whatever happened in the end Nozomi would turn out to be a Konoha shinobi to the bone, and maybe this could be dangerous ...</p><p>"Tomorrow I'll stay to help you with the house," he said, as if to end that conversation.</p><p>Nozomi nodded. “I have arranged the kitchen, the bathroom and our room, I have also already had dinner. Now I'm going to take a shower, then join me in bed? " he proposed him starting to walk away.</p><p>"I don't need to sleep," Obito reminded him.</p><p>"Who said it's for sleeping?" he yelled at him from the hall with a chuckle.</p><p>Obito raised an eyebrow and spread his lips with an appreciative grin. He pulled away from the wall and joined him directly in the shower.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One chapter ahead because your comments are great and I love you all. Plus the story has reached 100 bookmarks and I can't be happier than that!!<br/>I hope you enjoyed the conversation between Obito and Hiruzen. Obito and Nozomi came to mess around in the area, but Obito has zero respect for hierarchies xD<br/>And the final part between Nozomi and Obito? Obviously I leave to your imagination what happens in the shower ... heheheheh ....</p><p>To next week!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"How did you manage to be so late even for your funeral ?!" Gai cried laughing, his hands resting on Obito's shoulders who seemed to become more and more greenish with all that unwanted physical contact. Or maybe it was the sight of the tight-fitting jumpsuite.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two days flew by in the blink of an eye. No one could believe that time had passed so quickly, certainly not Nozomi and Obito who had spent every moment setting up the Namikaze mansion and spying on Root.</p><p>But above all for Hiruzen.</p><p>The two days were too short to think and find an action plan. He had sent his best spies around, looking for further clues to confirm the existence of Uzumaki Nozomi. Due to Obito’s ultimatum, he was in a hurry more than ever to make sure he was not an imposter, for Naruto’s sake.</p><p>His agents had been lightning fast and had already started texting their first discoveries. It was mostly confirmations to the story offered by Jiraiya about the probable movements of Nozomi with her mother. They had been to one of the villages in the Land of Fire, where they had picked up the passage of a red-haired woman with a son.</p><p>He had also listened carefully to the reports provided by the ANBUs who were monitoring them, but apparently they were doing nothing more than fixing the house. Above all, they had given no signs of wanting to contact anyone outside of Konoha.</p><p>In short, in the end the two days had passed without him making a solid decision. What he chose therefore was more dictated by a need to trust than by a long evaluation of the few data available to him.</p><p>"Jiji, where are we going?"</p><p>He smiled patiently at the child who had grabbed him by the white robe.</p><p>"Hokage-sama" he reminded him. "You must call me Hokage-sama".</p><p>Naruto frowned at the correction and insisted: "Jiji".</p><p>He sighed and let it go. They were apparently alone as they walked, but he could feel the presence of the ANBU stationed in their protection.</p><p>"Well, we're going to the arena".</p><p>  As much as he had wanted to keep everything contained, there had still been a leak about Konoha's two new additions and many shinobi had asked to be able to watch the friendly match. In the end, he had resigned himself to keeping him in the chūnin exam arena and allowing the presence of spectators.</p><p>"Why?" Naruto insisted.</p><p>"Because there will be some very strong ninjas who will fight and I'm sure you want to see them."</p><p>In fact, the child's face lit up. "Strong? Stronger than you? " he asked.</p><p>"Of course not," he assured him with a smile.</p><p>"Then when I grow up I will beat them!" Naruto announced raising his fist in the air. "Because I will become stronger than you and I will become the Hokage".</p><p>He laughed amused and moved together by his confidence.</p><p>"I hope so, Naruto-kun."</p><p>They had now arrived near the stadium, where the flow of people had become more consistent. Each Shinobi stepped aside as he passed and greeted him politely, but Hiruzen didn't miss the cold glances they gave the boy. Fortunately, Naruto was too excited about the upcoming fight to really realize it. Hiruzen had to grab him by the shoulder to keep him from running away.</p><p>Together they went up to the grandstand, where they would enjoy the show in order to carefully observe everything.</p><p>"Wooow!" Naruto exalted himself running into the reserved space, incredulous.</p><p>He leaned over the protective wall with his head to look down and seemed to light up even more with joy in realizing that they had a private space compared to the others.</p><p>"Do not lean too far" the Sandaime resumed going to sit in his place.</p><p>Immediately behind him, one of the ANBUs materialized, making the child wince.</p><p>It was not the only one to enter the reserved grandstand, at that time made the Danzo also appeared, accompanied by his sparkling good humor.</p><p>"Oh, old friend," he greeted affably, unimpressed by the councilor's sharp gaze.</p><p>The man wore the usual traditional dress and the usual bandages to cover the side of his shabby face. The only visible eye paused for a single second on Naruto - who returned the look with arrogance - and then returned to him.</p><p>"I heard the news," he said coldly. "We have two probable signings".</p><p>Hiruzen smiled. “Are you here to evaluate their ability with me? Thank you for your kindness".</p><p>Danzō did not comment immediately, he just took his place next to him.</p><p>"I am here to find out why I have not been <em>informed</em>."</p><p>"What? Do you think my dress <em>unformed</em>?” He asked smoothing the folds of the Hokage cloak.</p><p>There was a moment of stunned silence, then Naruto laughed out loud, holding his stomach with his hands. It was extremely difficult for Hiruzen not to laugh with him given how hilarious Danzō's exasperated expression was.</p><p>"I asked," he hissed louder, "why I haven't been informed of their <em>presence</em>."</p><p>"Oh, it’s nice that you came with <em>pleasance</em>!"</p><p>"No!" blurted Danzō red. " I'm talking about the ninjas you welcomed without <em>telling</em> me!"</p><p>"Oh, I'm very sorry for your stomach <em>swelling</em>."</p><p>Naruto now seemed about to fall to the ground since he was giggling, Hiruzen had to put his pipe in his mouth so as not to show that he too was laughing. It was all too easy to make Danzō impatient, just the technique of pretending to be a little deaf was enough, by now there was no longer any pleasure in provoking him.</p><p>"We'll talk about this <em>later</em>!" in fact, he announced with exasperation.</p><p>" No, I can't call a <em>waiter</em>”.</p><p>Danzō was now stunned, but fortunately Naruto intervened at that moment.</p><p>"But are you also deaf as well as old ?!" he chuckled pointing his index finger at him. "I better hurry to become Hokage, you are too old now!"</p><p>Hiruzen sighed artificially.</p><p>"Luckily you're there, Naruto dear" he said and winked at him.</p><p>The boy chuckled proudly, then looked back at the training camp. At his side, the ANBU warned him.</p><p>"It's almost time".</p><p>Hiruzen nodded, becoming serious again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Nozomi was, in a certain sense, excited: the arena was still the same as he remembered as a child!</p><p>After the Orochimaru attack it had been largely destroyed and for this reason it was later rebuilt, with some modifications. It was strange to see it again after so long the same as his first time in there.</p><p>At the moment he was alone in the waiting room. He suspected that Kakashi was late as usual and with him Tenzō, while he had no idea where Obito had gone. The last time he had seen him was before going to sleep, he suspected he had returned to monitor Root and was still there.</p><p>
  <em>What a drag, I wanted to organize a strategy ...</em>
</p><p>He barely had time to think that he perceived a distortion in the space around him, then it opened like a window in the air that made Obito pop out.</p><p>"Oh, you are here!" he noticed putting his hands on his hips.</p><p>The Uchiha looked around, the sharingan still activated studying the room where they were making them wait. It was gray and unfurnished except for a few benches to sit on. At the entrance there was a ninja on guard, who at the sudden appearance of Obito was visibly startled.</p><p>"Where are the others?" he asked frowning.</p><p>Nozomi tilted his head, staring at the ceiling. “Where do you want them to be? Kakashi-sensei is late and poor Yamato with him ”.</p><p>He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know what makes me stranger, hearing Kakashi called sensei or taking his delay for granted."</p><p>"Better for us!" he maintained his optimism. “We have time to decide the strategy”.</p><p>"No strategy," he muted as he crossed his arms, then looked at him seriously.</p><p>“Leave Kakashi to me".</p><p>"But…"</p><p>"He has a sharingan," he cut him off. “My sharingan. I am better equipped to face it”.</p><p>"But Yamato ... that is, Tenzō is a Mokuton user!" he complained. "You are better suited to counter it".</p><p>At least with that information he seemed to have caught his attention. Obito stopped looking around to stare at him in surprise.</p><p>"Does Konoha have anyone who knows how to use wood?" he asked incredulously. "And you never thought to mention it to me ?!"</p><p>Nozomi looked at him offended. "I would have told you last night if you had been around," he protested, then shrugged. “It's an Orochimaru experiment, but I don't know much. But I can tell you that he is really skilled, or at least in my time he was. When we went on a mission he built houses for us and was able to suppress Kurama's chakra ”.</p><p>Obito seemed to carefully consider that information.</p><p>"Would that put you in trouble?"</p><p>"No," he admitted, he had been stronger than Yamato for years now. "I have placed clones to collect the natural chakra."</p><p>"So we agree".</p><p>Nozomi snorted starting to warm up. "No, we don't agree! We have no strategy and… no, saying <em>I'll take care of Kakashi</em> is not a strategy. We have to work as a team”.</p><p>Obito closed his mouth, swallowing what he was about to say.</p><p>"You know that when we collaborate we have more fun" Nozomi continued to tease him, widening his sly smile.</p><p>Obito tried to keep eye contact, but in the end he knew he had won.</p><p>"Okay," he muttered. "Some idea? You're the one used to fighting them ”.</p><p>Nozomi gave a satisfied and sly smile. He had been thinking all night about possible strategies and scenarios, he could consider himself more than prepared.</p><p>It was right in the middle of his accurate description of the opponents' abilities and various ways to neutralize them without showing too much of their abilities, that were interrupted: a voice that Obito could almost recognize called his name.</p><p>He barely had time to turn around and see a Gai shining with unbridled joy running towards him and tackling him with his body. Nozomi could see Obito's shocked expression and the way he refrained from using the kamui to slip away.</p><p>"Obito! That's right, you are here! I'm so happy to see you! " laughed Gai.</p><p>The Uchiha stirred in the fervent embrace of the other and fortunately was let go. He took a step back, as if he was afraid of being squeezed back into that grip.</p><p>"Hi ... Gai" he greeted uncertainly.</p><p>Master Gai was much younger than Nozomi remembered, but otherwise he was absolutely the same: same thick eyebrows, same bowl-shaped black hair, same hideous green onesie and same gleaming magazine smile.</p><p>He felt a bit sidelined, since he had only been given a quick glance. Usually the master Gai welcomed him with too much enthusiasm, but it was obvious that he was not doing it now. He had to remind himself that he was no longer Naruto, but a stranger. A few days earlier it had been terribly difficult not to let go and joke with Kakashi-sensei as he used to do.</p><p>He quickly cleared the depressing thoughts that came with it, instead focused on the two ninjas in front of him.</p><p>"How did you manage to be so late even for your funeral ?!" Gai cried laughing, his hands resting on Obito's shoulders who seemed to become more and more greenish with all that unwanted physical contact. Or maybe it was the sight of the tight-fitting jumpsuite.</p><p> “Um, um…” he mumbled looking at Nozomi for help. "I was detained ..."</p><p>"Halt!" Gai stopped him in a loud voice parrying a hand forward. “I'm sure the reason for your long absence is more than justified! It will definitely have to do with a classified mission, you don't have to tell me anything without Hokage-sama's explicit permission!"</p><p>Nozomi clearly saw Obito make a small smile with the corner of his lips.</p><p>"Sort of," he confirmed. "It's nice to see you again, Gai," he finally admitted.</p><p>The reaction from the other was much more agitated. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders again, loudly extolling the beauty of being able to spend more time together in the prime of their youth.</p><p>It was hard for Nozomi to hold back any longer and he couldn't help but chuckle. But that one finally managed to capture the attention of Gai, who seemed to be very embarrassed at the idea of having ignored him for so long.</p><p>"I'm sorry!" he said, bowing formally with his forehead almost touching the floor. "You are the other ninja who will clash with my incredible rival and I ignored you! Very pleased, ”he added, bowing even more deeply.</p><p>Nozomi blushed and found himself waving her hands forward. It was difficult to remember that he was now a contemporary of the Jōnin of his childhood and that therefore they brought him more respect. As much as Gai had always been flawless in labels and polite close to ridicule he had never bowed so deeply with him.</p><p>"The pleasure is mine too ..."</p><p>"I am Maito Gai, the Green Beast of Konoha!"</p><p>Obito had put a hand to his ear to resist the overly sustained tone.</p><p>"Uzumaki Nozomi" he returned unable to stop himself from smiling.</p><p>He definitely missed the enthusiasm of Maestro Gai.</p><p>"I can't wait to attend your meeting. It is always exciting to see young ninjas show their young strength and vitality! " He began to leave heavy slaps on Obito's back. “This brings me back to when we were genin! A I'm willing to give you a revenge for our fight in the chūnin exams! "</p><p>"I can't wait," he coughed under the blows on his back.</p><p>Gai looked back at Nozomi, who was struggling to remain serious at the sight of his companion who fell to the pats of his childhood friend.</p><p>"I bet it will be a challenge that will bring out all your sparkling spring," he continued without stopping smiling. “But don't get depressed, Uzumaki-san, if Kakashi gets you in trouble! Of course!" he nodded to himself. "My formidable rival is an exceptional ninja, there are few here in Konoha who can stand up to him," he explained, puffing up his chest with pride. “Obito knows this well, so don't lose your vital flame in clashing. Rather! It is in front of powerful opponents that we finally manage to roar our strength! "</p><p>Nozomi didn't hold back anymore and laughed serenely. He showed him the thumb towards the other and nodded in agreement.</p><p>"We will roar our youth, 'tebayo!" he guaranteed.</p><p>Gai seemed happy to see someone give him a hold, rather than run away from his impetuosity, and his black eyes sparkled. He started to announce some other striking phrase, but Jiraiya teleported into the room.</p><p>"I see that you are ready" he said, then turned to Gai and asked him with his eyes what he was doing in the waiting room.</p><p>The Green Beast immediately jumped to attention. “I came to greet Kakashi-san and wish him my luck,” he explained as if he were reporting. "But I have found that my incredible rival has not proved himself even this time and he is keeping us waiting!"</p><p>Jiraiya nodded with a resigned sigh.</p><p>"Many people have started to arrive now, knowing his habits of him" confirmed in fact.</p><p>Obito snorted hard and shook his head in disbelief. Nozomi knew that although he had warned him several times that Kakashi had changed a lot from the person he knew him, he had never been believed. To him it must have seemed like a world upside down.</p><p>"In the meantime, let's get out of here," Jiraiya offered. "If you at least show yourselves, whoever has been here for half an hour will be calmer. They begin to get excited ”.</p><p>"Then the time has come for me to return to my place" decreed Gai solemnly. He turned to bow to Nozomi once more and pat Obito on the shoulder. "May this clash make your youth flourish to its fullest expression," he wished.</p><p>"We will certainly bloom" Nozomi chuckled.</p><p>With one last dazzling smile, Gai left the room finally allowing Jiraiya to speak clearly to the two.</p><p>"You will have some audience, brats," he warned them. “All the shinobi of any rank who have heard of your arrival and had no missions are here. Danzō too, ”he added.</p><p>Obito darkened, while Nozomi did not leave the carefree smile.</p><p>"This means we just have to be more careful about what we show."</p><p>"Exactly".</p><p>"Quiet, ero-sennin," he assured him. "I will not use Kurama's chakra, I have enough reserves of my own to kick Kakashi's ass."</p><p>He nodded. “Also remember to vary with the fighting styles of the various nations. If you only use Konoha's style ... "</p><p>"They will understand that I was trained here," he interrupted. “I know, ero-sennin. Don't worry, I'll mostly use the toad style. Furthermore, we already have a strategy ”.</p><p>“Perfect, then let's go out. As soon as Kakashi and Tenzō are here too, I will tell you how to take the exam ".</p><p>He led them out, where the sun momentarily blinded Nozomi. He narrowed his eyes and raised his face to the stands, shading himself with his hand. He could hear the roar of the agitated crowd, but if you really noticed it did not fill the arena as much as it had been in his chūnin exams. At the time there had been many more civilians and many more influential figures.</p><p>Turning his eyes around he caught a Root team scattered among the regular shinobi, from whom he could distinguish them by the feeling of emptiness they carried with them, as if they were a black hole of emotion. It was a feeling he had learned to distinguish from being in contact with Sai, even though it had almost disappeared in recent years.</p><p>He smiled sadly thinking of his friend, he had to find a way to help him and get him out of Root before Danzō turned him against his brother.</p><p>Obito had crossed his arms and was looking at the ground rather than the stands. Jiraiya sighed instead, folding his arms in turn.</p><p>“Now we just have to wait”.</p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>Konoha this morning was strangely devoid of shinobi.</p><p>Kakashi knew that all those freed from missions had gathered in the arena, where they were waiting for him.</p><p>He took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrant summer air and relaxed even more on the bench.</p><p>"Kakashi-senpai ..." a whimper disturbed him.</p><p>He squinted lazily, watching the figure of Tenzō nervously pacing the otherwise empty street back and forth.</p><p>"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Kakashi asked with no real reproach in his voice.</p><p>His adorable subordinate did not even seem to have heard him, he continued to walk wringing his hands consumed by anxiety.</p><p>"We were supposed to be at the arena half an hour ago. We have to go!" he explained the concern.</p><p>He went back to close his eye and bask in the summer sun. "Yes, in a while".</p><p>Tenzō began to whimper again. "Senpai ..."</p><p>"If you want to go on in the meantime, I'll join you later" he offered him innocently, he knew that his friend would never go on alone.</p><p>In fact, the mere prospect made it greenish. It was fun to tease Tenzō, as most of the time he was enveloped in a peaceful impassivity. Often it seemed that nothing could scratch him and that nothing exhausted his patience. Well, Kakashi could boast that he was the only person who could make him a lump of anxiety and nervousness.</p><p>He suspected it was because he still felt a sense of admiration and a deep gratitude for taking him out of Root. After all, this was precisely the reason why he was his favorite victim to tease: Kakashi didn't want him to admire him and he didn't even want his gratitude. To be honest it was something that embarrassed him, because he didn't feel he deserved it.</p><p>The silence lasted another ten minutes, during which Tenzō continued to mumble something about their rudeness and the patience of the Sandaime.</p><p>Both wore the standard equipped ANBU uniform, with a halter tied back, and muffs with seals to evoke kunai and shuriken. They weren't wearing their masks, however, as they didn't need to conceal their identity.</p><p>Eventually, Kakashi began to tire of Tenzō's anxious walk. An hour had passed since the scheduled time, he could define himself satisfied.</p><p>"Come on," he said, turning serious again.</p><p>Tenzò stopped walking to look at him reassured, but the happy expression fell as soon as he saw Kakashi disappear in a cloud of smoke, with a diabolical smile and one last sentence: "Come on, move, you don't want to be late!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When he teleported directly into the arena, he found himself in the center of attention of three ninjas. Jiraiya stared at him in resignation, Obito had an expression of pure disbelief - as if he suspected he was inside a genjutsu - while Nozomi looked at him with eyes that shone with pure amusement. Apparently he had found someone who found delays amused by him. Kakashi made a mental note to show up to their next meeting with a delay of at least three hours, just to see if even then he would be amused, the rookie had a lot to learn.</p><p>"We are late?" he asked in a lightly surprised tone, while Tenzō also appeared behind him. "Oh, what a careless".</p><p>Nozomi's blue eyes twinkled. "Lost again on the path of life?" he asked.</p><p>He shrugged. “A black cat has crossed our path. You know, superstition ... "</p><p>"Senpai, that's not true," Tenzō resumed sternly.</p><p>He continued to smile peacefully, totally ignoring him. He sneaked a glance at Obito, just to make sure his reaction, but he seemed to be rather wary.</p><p>"Well, now that you are all here" Jiraiya began in a powerful tone of voice, catching their attention, "let me explain how the spar will work."</p><p>Kakashi gave up the look of serene detachment to focus on Sannin, curious about his presence below him.</p><p>"Since this is an evaluation rather than a normal match, things will work a little differently than just sparring."</p><p>Neither Obito nor Nozomi gave expressions of surprise, perhaps they expected it.</p><p>"How?" he then asked for more explanations.</p><p>"There will be three consecutive phases," he explained. "The first two will last five minutes each, while the third will last until the match is decided." He broke off with a sarcastic smile on his lips. “If you get to last that long”.</p><p>He couldn't stop himself from arching his visible eyebrow. Jiraiya was suggesting that one of the two teams was not sufficiently prepared for the other. He hoped well he wasn't talking about him.</p><p>“This fight serves to test Obito and Nozomi's abilities on a broad spectrum, like a jōnin evaluating its own genin. Therefore, rather than being an effective fight you must be as evident as possible in your techniques. In the first phase, only taijutsu, weapons and traps can be used; ninjutsu and genjutsu are added to the second phase; finally in the third one can unleash one's specialties, this means that no bloodline or eremitical modality can be used until the third phase. As for the sharingan, you can choose when you want to take it out, but the Magekyo can only be used in the last phase. The various stages are announced by a whistle. In conclusion, the Hokage claims the right to stop the fight at any time if it deems it appropriate, clear? "</p><p>Everyone agreed, but Kakashi noticed that the last warning had been said above all to Obito, with a serious and worried tone.</p><p>The sannin's frown, however, lasted just a second, then lay back in a jovial one and grabbed the two closest shinobi by the shoulders, namely Nozomi and Tenzō.</p><p>"Give us a good show, huh?"</p><p>Nozomi answered enthusiastically by raising a thumb, but Obito turned, surprising him, towards him.</p><p>"Are you ready for the repayment, Bakakashi?"</p><p>He managed to hold back his disbelief, since he had been ignored since his arrival and had treated him with cold contempt in their other interactions. He wasn't expecting that almost friendly joke, which referred to their past in Team Minato.</p><p>He narrowed his visible eye, showing a carefree smile.</p><p>"I hope you don't also ask for interest," he said, jumping backwards for a more cautious distance.</p><p>He did not expect Obito to reciprocate with the hint of a grin.</p><p>"Don't be rushed and wait for the Hokage to start," Jiraiya ordered, just before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.</p><p> </p><p>He teleported to the Sandaime grandstand, startling the blond child who leaned over the railing. He smiled at the astonished blue gaze and then turned to Hiruzen.</p><p>"They are ready".</p><p>The Sandaime smiled holding his pipe between his lips, then rose from his seat and looked out from the gallery. He waited a few seconds, until the buzz in the arena subsided and almost disappeared.</p><p>  "It's nice to see you so many," he said first, he moved his eyes to the audience as if to welcome each of them, then looked down at the four figures in the center of the training ground. "We are ready to begin the evaluation".</p><p>He raised his hand to give the signal for the first whistle, but was distracted by what he saw: Nozomi had taken a step forward, raising two fingers joined in a very familiar seal to his face.</p><p>Hiruzen's eyes widened to see that now obsolete gesture, which was only remembered in Academy lessons, being used, especially by an external shinobi from Konoha. Obito seemed to shake his head in resignation before raising his fingers in the seal, just as Kakahsi and Tenzō imitated him a little confused.</p><p><em>Someone here cares about etiquette</em>, he thought as he lowered his arm.</p><p>In the arena he sounded the first whistle.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for missing last week's update. But I was with my boyfriend. Here in Italy we are still in confinement due to the virus and we cannot move between different cities. The fact is that my boyfriend and I live in two different cities. During Easter they allowed travel once a day to visit relatives. I took advantage of it and didn't have time to translate! But here's the update. It is a bit of a passing chapter, in the next there will be a clash.<br/>As usual, if you notice similarities with other stories it is because I was inspired by them. In short, it is not a real time travel if there is no evaluation clash!</p><p>Another thing: Hiruzen's deafness.<br/>Okay, he's not really deaf, but he's a troll and he enjoys posing as a doting old man with Danzo just to annoy him. it's a joke that we friends of the Italian fandom have. Hiruzen plays trump and forgets things, that's why neither Naruto nor Sasuke had proper care xD</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Mokuton and Sharingan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The situation can only get worse.<br/>Kakashi thought about it with serene detachment, as if he was not just a spectator and was not fighting in the arena.<br/>Mokuton. Great. Wonderful. At least that explained Obito's new smell and why it reminded him of Tenzō's.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Usually the beginning of a clash between shinobi was easily predictable: a few seconds of tense immobility, where the opponent was studied, followed by a series of cautious blows and test attacks, to evaluate the opponent's skills and what kind of techniques used.</p><p>Usually.</p><p>As soon as the whistle was over, Nozomi threw himself with astonishing speed at the two opposing ninja, an orange patch moving across the field.</p><p>Kakashi was confused by that direct action, his opponent must have been extremely stupid or too sure of his abilities to throw himself against the enemy in that way, but he realized in time that the person directly involved in his blow was Tenzō. He moved almost instinctively, unsheathed the tantō from his back and directed it against Nozomi's head, on his neck. He had no intention of mortally wounding him, his gesture had been slow enough for him to notice, he just wanted him to move to avoid it and give Tenzō time to react.</p><p>But it was with horror that he realized that the Uzumaki had no intention of changing trajectory, he continued to charge the careless blow of the blade that was getting closer and closer to his uncovered part.</p><p>Even if Kakashi wanted to stop, he couldn't block the momentum.</p><p>The backlash came unexpected and strong. Without realizing it, Obito also joined them and grabbed the blade of his tantō with his bare hand.</p><p>He managed to stop it and the impact almost made Kakashi lose his grip, who took advantage of the lever to try to jump away. But Obito continued to hold him firmly by the sword, to get away he had to let go of the hilt and just at that moment the Uchiha tightened his grip to the point that the blade broke.</p><p>In the meantime, Nozomi had reached Tenzō who had barely managed to parry the blow of his ankle from his neck, shielding himself with his forearm. However, for the blow he had to retreat, barely keeping his balance.</p><p>Kakashi looked at his hilt on the ground, the blade shattered, and then Tenzō retreated into a defensive position. Maybe the Uzumaki wasn't that stupid and the confidence in their abilities was justified.</p><p>He found himself smiling, adrenaline in turmoil, and brought a hand to the hitai-ate. Kakashi had to compliment them, he didn't think he would get it out so soon.</p><p>He lifted the blindfold and forehead cover, the sharingan twirled in his eye. He saw Obito do the same and a twin sharingan coloring the iris red that returned his gaze.</p><p>The warm-up was already over, it was starting to get serious.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>They are fast</em>, Fugaku found, the active sharingan to better follow the fight. The shinobi moved like blurry spots on the training ground, immediately the fight had become close and not at all cautious. The shots were fast and difficult to follow, continuous and strong. The fight would have been difficult to follow even for a normal jōnin, the chūnin present there must have already been lost.</p><p>He glanced proudly at Itachi beside him, who thanks to his sharingan didn't seem to miss a beat, then returned to the fight.</p><p>He knew that Kakashi had a good training in taijutsu as well, but he was surprised to see Obito use the Uchiha style of melee so smoothly. There seemed to be no trace of the clumsiness that had characterized him as a kid and he was able to keep up with Kakashi without a hint of fatigue, following the same fast pace.</p><p>Uzumaki was also positively surprising him.</p><p>Beyond the childish impression he had made on him, he mastered taijutsu with such power as to arouse envy among the jōnin. Hatake's partner seemed to be able to just dodge his blows and keep up with that bouncy style that reminded of his toads. He remembered what he had learned in the Hokage studio and thought he shouldn't be surprised if he used the Mobyoku mountain style.</p><p>The second whistle marked the beginning of the second part.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hiruzen watched for a few seconds the startled expression of little Naruto, clinging to the railing to keep himself while he leaned out as far as possible. He knew the fight was going too fast for him, but he still seemed enthusiastic about it and his eyes sparkled with amazement.</p><p>The moment the second whistle blew, he looked back at the fight as well. The two teams had leapt away, each making their own seals. He did not know if Nozomi and Kakashi had the same idea, or if the latter had used the sharingan to predict the move, but both released a water jutsu at about the same time that flooded the training ground. But unlike Kakashi, who like Tenzō was landed in the water-soaked ground, Nozomi crouched on the branch of one of the trees made available. The reason was immediately clear: Obito who had jumped in turn went back down to the water handling a lightning jutsu, with the clear intention of frying the two opponents.</p><p>He found himself smiling at that excellent coordination, you could see that they were used to fighting together.</p><p>Fortunately, his shinobi also had tricks up their sleeves to show off. Quickly, both Tenzō and Kakashi began to join their fingers in the earth seal and, just before Obito broke the lightning strikes on the watery surface, they created a high platform on which to shelter. But it must have been foreseen by the Uchiha, because as soon as he landed he stopped the lightning jutsu and swelled his chest, without the help of seals he puffed out a fireball which, thanks to the reinforcement of a wind jutsu produced by Nozomi, became of considerable size.</p><p>Kakashi was quick to react, taking advantage of the water basin already present in the training ground.</p><p>"Suiton: Pillar of Water".</p><p>A barricade of water formed around him and Tenzō, against which Obito's fireball broke and extinguished. However, the clash caused a thick white vapor that covered the entire arena.</p><p>Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, annoyed at not being able to see through the fog.</p><p>"What happens?" pawed Naruto involved in the fight.</p><p>Fortunately, the visual impediment lasted just a few more moments: a jutsu of wind swept away the steam, making the training ground visible again.</p><p>He almost nearly dropped his pipe from his mouth when he saw what was happening.</p><p>
  <em>Kage bushin no jutsu?</em>
</p><p>Nozomi had managed to create an abundant dozen clones, which were putting Kakashi in trouble with his constant attacks, while Obito was holding Tenzō under siege with continuous jutsu of different elements.</p><p>He preferred to focus on Uzumaki, caught off guard by that aspect. He observed the skill with which he handled the technique invented by Nidaime, he continued to recreate clones after clones without worrying about the amount of chakra that the technique consumed.</p><p>"He's a chakra monster," Jiraiya confirmed at his side, guessing his thoughts.</p><p>"I see," he buzzed.</p><p>Kage Bushin was not a particularly difficult technique to use, all his jōnin mastered it for espionage, but he had never seen anyone use it so continuously and actively<em> in a fight</em>.</p><p>"Chakra?" Naruto asked taking him away from his brooding. "What's this?"</p><p>"My child," he sighed in exasperation, "aren't you studying it at the Academy?"</p><p>Naruto looked away frowning, looked back at the fight and didn't answer.</p><p>Hiruzen promptly imitated him, there were now a few minutes before the end of the second phase. He was too curious to see what else they had in store.</p><p>With his eyes he moved from Nozomi to observe Obito. He was amazed that, despite all those years away from Konoha, his style was so purely Uchiha.</p><p>Even if ... there was something that troubled and disturbed him, which made him fear that there was much more under it than he had told them.</p><p>Perhaps he should have dwelled more on his alleged encounter with Madara. To be honest, when he talked about it Hiruzen had labeled it as a mistake: Madara was dead, probably who Obito had met was a mad and outcast old Uchiha who passed off as the legendary clan leader.</p><p>Yet… maybe who he had met was <em>really</em> Uchiha Madara.</p><p>Because that style of fighting took him back many, too many, years: to his youth and his education under the first Hokage. At that time he had had the honor of witnessing his friendly fight with Madara and he was certain that he would never forget that incredible fight.</p><p>For this he could immediately notice, with a troubled clarity, that Obito had the same way of fighting as Madara.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Tenzō heard the whistle announcing the third phase, he could only breathe a sigh of relief. He was so used to using the Mokuton that, in those first two stages where he was not allowed, he found himself in considerable difficulty in countering both Nozomi and Obito. On the latter he was happy to be able to take advantage of all his training with Kakashi, which had allowed him to resist the sharingan.</p><p>He snapped back and immediately concentrated the chakra for his next technique. He landed crouched, his hands pressed to the ground, and trees immediately began to grow around him to use as an attack. He knew that any spectator could recognize that almost legendary skill, so he was not surprised by the buzz of pure amazement that grew from the stands.</p><p>Kakashi approached him, while both Nozomi and Obito jumped back to study the new scene change. To be honest, however, neither of them seemed really surprised to meet a Mokuton user, in fact Obito even gave him an amused grin.</p><p>When he saw the two opposing each other exchanging a sign of understanding, he prepared to arrange the plants around him to hit them, but what he saw immediately afterwards left him shocked. He recognized the seals made by Obito's hands, but was still not ready to see the ground explode to make way for dark, twisted roots that twisted around his trees, strangling them so hard that they broke them.</p><p>He widened his eyes realizing that he had another Mokuton user in front of him and, considering the way Kakashi held his breath sharply, it must be new.</p><p>Maybe things weren't going to be as easy as he had hoped.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hiruzen couldn't stop himself from getting up from his chair and stared in dismay at what was happening on the training ground. He wasn't surprised at the trees that had suddenly grown by Tenzō, but seeing Obito - <em>an Uchiha</em> - respond with the same technique that had been lost for decades was a blow to the heart. Beside him, not even Danzō managed to maintain his usual composure.</p><p>"How can it be?"</p><p>
  <em>I had more than half of the body destroyed, so he rebuilt it using a clone he made from Hashirama's cells.</em>
</p><p>Experiments had been carried out on Hashirama cells for years in the hope of recovering that technique, even Orochimaru had studied them in his unorthodox way, and Tenzō had been the only child able to respond positively to that experiment.</p><p>But apparently he wasn't the only one. Another child, an Uchiha whose fighting style was eerily similar to that of Uchiha Madara, had the same power as Senju Hashirama.</p><p>He lifted his face briefly to the Hokage mountain.</p><p>
  <em>Shodaime, are you seeing it too?</em>
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</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The situation can only get worse.</em>
</p><p>Kakashi thought about it with serene detachment, as if he was not just a spectator and was not fighting in the arena.</p><p>Mokuton. Great. Wonderful. At least that explained Obito's new smell and why it reminded him of Tenzō's.</p><p>He had believed that from the third phase he would fight with Obito, since he was better equipped to counter his Mangekyo, but decided to leave them to contend with each other over who had the <em>huge tree.</em></p><p>He then focused on Nozomi and ... well, as soon as he saw him he was almost shaken by an attack of compulsive giggle.</p><p>Was that Senjutsu? The situation had worsened.</p><p>He was able to recognize the hermit mode of the toads, the iris colored with shining gold, round like a coin and the pupil a horizontal cut, the eyelids colored orange. What surprised him were two things: that he had managed to do it while he was on the move and that he hadn't had to summon some toad to assist him. He didn't know much about senjutsu, but did he know that it required a certain period of immobility to collect the natural chakra itself, as he had done if he hadn't been still for a second and there was no toad to have done it for him?</p><p>His questions were put aside as he saw Nozomi approaching, in sage mode he was much faster than before.</p><p>At the last, however, Nozomi deviated, to run where Tenzō and Obito were still exchanging blows with the Mokuton.</p><p>Kakashi quickly realized that he was heading to hit Tenzō while he was distracted by Obito, so he sprinted to defend him as well. He prepared to create a jutsu that would drive them away, but it was still halfway through the seals that there was an exchange. Obito teleported, avoiding the attack of Tenzō who risked losing his balance in the void and becoming vulnerable to Nozomi's arrival.</p><p>After that, Kakashi was no longer able to witness the fate of his companion.</p><p>Obito teleported in front of him, appearing immediately after a distortion in the shape of a vortex. With him he had a katana that until a moment before he hadn't wielded and the Mangekyo shone menacingly.</p><p>" Ready to be beaten, Bakashi?"</p><p>He jumped back, into a safe distance.</p><p>"The last time I checked, you were the one who was beaten" he dared.</p><p>Obito manipulated with the katana, drawing fast circles around him.</p><p>"Don't underestimate me," he hissed, then attacked.</p><p>The first thing he obviously did was dodge, he got to his back and took the opportunity to complete the jutsu he had left in the middle.</p><p>"Raiton: Fangs of the Lightning Beast!"</p><p>From his hand a lightning bolt took the form of a hound, the dog moved fast, there was no way for Obito to be able to avoid it or to find a powerful enough counterattack. He saw him with the sharingan following the path of the lightning, but it was too unpredictable and so he prepared to counter it with the blade and his artificial arm.</p><p>Except a moment before it was struck, something resembling a huge rotating, glowing shuriken smashed into the lightning bolt, scattering it. The gusts of air that reached him made him understand that it was a jutsu of wind, the weakness of lightning.</p><p>His eyes shifted to Nozomi, who promptly came to help his partner, but immediately realized that he was just the umpteenth clone as the original was still busy with Tenzō.</p><p>"Won't you thank me?" the clone asked with a tongue.</p><p>"No," Obito snapped, annoyed. "I manage by myself."</p><p>"Ungrateful!" he protested. "I just saved you."</p><p>He didn't listen to him. "Back to the original. I manage by myself, ”he repeated.</p><p>The clone rolled his eyes, but did as he told him.</p><p>Kakashi tried to throw the remaining shurikens at him in order to at least relieve Tenzō's work, but he managed to avoid them by writhing and stuck his tongue out.</p><p>He didn't even have time to be indignant because Obito was on him again, involving him in a taijutsu. He had to acknowledge that he had improved a lot from his chūnin days.</p><p>He managed to hit him in the stomach and pull him away from him enough to give himself breath and focus on a new ninjutsu. Obito, however, took the opportunity to do the same and was much faster than him: it was enough for him to join his fingers to his chest, the grainy Mangekyo that created a distortion of the air in front of him, like a vortex of air.</p><p>He prepared to counter a jutsu of wind, but he realized too late that he was wrong: from his mouth he spat a gush of fire that, moved by the distortion of the Mangekyo, stretched in a mortal spiral directed towards him.</p><p>He acted instinctively, almost without programming it, and raised a wall of earth that barely resisted the power of the flame.</p><p>He barely heard the jolt of the crowd, rather concentrated on the smoke surrounding him on both sides, trying to guess which one Obito would appear from.</p><p>His intuition was good and he had the quick reflexes to avoid the attack with the katana. He quickly slipped his hand to the bag and his fingers tightened on the last remaining kunai, he managed to raise it in time by crossing the two blades.</p><p>Kakashi trusted his instincts, in combat he had always saved him and was never wrong to follow him. It was then with dismay that he heard him warn him that his life was in danger, looking at Obito's Mangekyo he sensed a pure murderous intent towards him.</p><p>As soon as he was able he walked away, goosebumps from the sensation he felt. Suddenly, it was no longer friendly, evaluative sparring: Obito was fighting to <em>kill him</em>.</p><p>He could smell his bloodlust like a hound, and the fact that he was increasingly running out of chakra put him even more on the defensive. He found himself stepping into the guise of Kakashi Cold Blood without even realizing it.</p><p>Quickly converted his chakra into electricity and concentrated it in the metal of the kunai, making it the most cutting kunai blade. When Obito was back on him, he even managed to scratch the katana. He then moved fast to force the opponent to let go of his weapon and force him into a simple melee.</p><p>Obito actually let go of the katana, but he didn't blink and managed to stop him as well. It hit him so hard that Kakashi staggered back and sought a new safety distance. Obito did not give him time and continued to keep him under defense, making him move further and further back to the edge of the arena. But if his goal was to trap him, he had reckoned too soon.</p><p>Just when he found his shoulders brushing the stone behind him and Obito was about to charge a shot, he slipped out of his grasp and walked away. Obito's fist broke free on the wall, which folded into weblike cracks at his might.</p><p>A blow like that would have split his head. There was no longer any doubt: he was trying to kill him.</p><p>Obito turned and a hard dark stick with a sharp point reached out from his artificial arm.</p><p>Without realizing it, Kakashi began to join seals and then concentrated all the remaining chakra on his right arm. The sound of the raikiri hurt his ears, but by now it was too late: Obito had started running towards him and Kakashi sprinted too.</p><p>Nozomi was having a blast, playing with Tenzō and escaping his ambushes at the last. He couldn't stop smiling!</p><p>But the smile froze on his lips as he felt that cold, murderous intention slip over his body. He didn't have to turn around to figure out who it came from or what was happening, and when he heard the chidori screech he knew immediately what was going to happen.</p><p>Fuck, Obito!</p><p>His gaze focused and, finding no more orthodox solution, he suddenly grabbed Tenzō by the arm. He threw him as hard as he could, didn't even look where he landed, then threw a kunai and teleported with the hiraishin.</p><p>He appeared in the center of the line between Kakashi and Obito, at the point where they would meet causing the disaster and where the kunai was planted. He didn't stop for a second, spinning around and grabbed each by the wrist preventing them from meeting and threw them to the opposite side.</p><p>An astonished silence had fallen in the arena. But Nozomi did not relax, he teleported himself once again to Obito, who was already standing there waiting for him. Nozomi parried the punch, the kick and the other punch again. In a few moves he forced Obito to the ground, one knee bent on his chest, his wrists planted on the ground by one of his hands and a small rasengan, impossible to be seen by the audience, which shone in the other free hand raised to hit him in the face.</p><p>"What the fuck are you doing ?!" he growled.</p><p>Obito was out of breath, dropped his head back on the uneven ground and relaxed his tense pose, his eyes closed.</p><p>"I knew you were going to stop me," he gasped, curling his lips into a smile.</p><p>When he reopened his eye, Nozomi returned to mirror himself on the pitch iris. He also relaxed his muscles and dissolved the rasengan, smiled back, giggling in exasperation.</p><p>"You're an idiot".</p><p>"And of the two, I'm the smart one," he laughed.</p><p>Nozomi hit him with a playful fist in the shoulder. Whatever was taken of him was over. It was the usual Obito.</p><p>From the tribune of honor, he heard the Sandaime announce the end of the match.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Note: I have been pointed out that I often translate the "shunshin" technique as "teleport", when in reality it is not a real teleport (like hiraishin and kamui instead).<br/>I know. Unfortunately it is the fault of the Italian translation of Naruto. As you know, I'm Italian and that's why I read / saw Naruto in Italian. In the Italian translation they made the mistake of translating "shunshin" as teleportation. In fact, for example, Shunshin no Shisui in the anime has been translated "Shisui of teleportation" (Shisui del teletrasporto). I was advised to use "shushinned" and I think I will use it from now on.</p><p>Unfortunately I know most of the jutsu with Italian names (except just the most famous ones), I hope not to mess with the translations   &gt;.&lt;</p><p>That said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter on. It is pure action and I am a little afraid of having confused things. If you find any errors please let me know. If you found it boring, let me know so I will deal with the next fighters!<br/>Thank you so much for the wonderful comments you left me &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The suspects of Hokage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Or: Hiruzen Sarutobi just wants to retire</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He had felt his heart agitated from the exact moment Obito and Kakashi separated from Yamato and Nozomi in the fight. Then when he had clearly seen them lash out at each other, he understood what was going to happen and told himself that there was no way that Nozomi could stop them in time, no shinobi was so fast.</p><p>Hiruzen had never been more relieved to be wrong than he was now.</p><p>His keen eyes had recognized the technique - hiraishin, as sensei, as Minato - and he had welcomed with an internal sigh the way he had separated the two and had immediately thrown himself into stopping his companion.</p><p>His eyes flashed on Tenzō, still stunned where Nozomi had thrown him, then Kakashi lying on his back and finally Obito still pinned to the ground by Nozomi.</p><p>The game was over.</p><p>He then raised his fingers and a long whistle signaled the end of the fight. The crowd then seemed to thaw from the stunned stasis it had fallen into at the exact moment Nozomi had stopped the two ninjas, and erupted into cheers of enthusiasm.</p><p>"What happens?" Naruto asked with his eyes still on the training ground.</p><p>"The fight is over," he explained patiently.</p><p>"And who won?"</p><p>He smiled without answering, in a mysterious way that made the boy's cheeks swell. Hiruzen then turned to the ANBU which had remained in shadow all the time.</p><p>"Would you take our little Naruto to my office?" he asked in his typical upbringing that he concealed an order.</p><p>The child did not seem very happy to be left alone with the ANBU, but he did not throw a tantrum and approached the masked shinobi wary.</p><p>Hiruzen held up the peaceful smile until they were out of reach, at which point he turned to Danzō. He was still frowning on the training ground, where Nozomi had started running, enjoying the applause. What a curious behavior.</p><p>"An impressive water jutsu," Danzō said, realizing he was being watched.</p><p>"A perfect use of kage bushin" he understood where he was headed.</p><p>"And he knows how to apply hiraishin," he completed, his gaze increasingly narrowed. He turned to stare at Hiruzen. "He doesn't have Tobirama-sensei's fighting style, but ... it's almost nostalgic."</p><p>There was no need to comment, it was the same thing he had felt seeing him fight.</p><p>"He's amazing," he nodded to himself. "Not to mention Obito ..."</p><p>"Do you know how he got hold of the mokuton?"</p><p>  Hiruzen exchanged a look with Jiraiya. The sannin had remained silent throughout the exchange of those lines, his disapproval was obvious from the pouting crease of his lips. He knew that Jiraiya had never had much sympathy for Danzō - too different characters - but it was the first time he had shown such distrust of him.</p><p>"Later," he said. "I'll tell you about it later, privately," he promised.</p><p>Danzō did not seem happy to postpone the meeting, eager to finally have his answers, but he had to realize for himself that this was not the right moment.</p><p>"Later" he agreed coldly and finally headed for the exit. But before taking the stairs, he stopped to say one last thing. "They are powerful".</p><p>He took his pipe from his lips. “For this better with us than against us”.</p><p>"I hope your naivety hasn't brought us spies in the house."</p><p>Jiraiya only relaxed when the old councilor was finally out and Hiruzen did not fail to notice.</p><p>"Is there a particular reason why you don't trust him?" he asked, looking at the tobacco left in the pipe. Oh, damn: it was just finished, he would have to wait to get back to the office to smoke a little more.</p><p>"Sensation".</p><p>He made a face. "We don't act on feelings alone," he reminded him. "You have no reason to suspect him."</p><p>Jiraiya buzzed unconvinced, but said nothing more. So he decreed the speech closed and hoped to have better education from his pupil in the future.</p><p>He threw another look around the arena, observing the curious situation of Nozomi still intent on enjoying his applause of him and Obito sitting peacefully on Kakashi.</p><p>"I'd say join them," he considered.</p><p>Obito stared at the cloud-stained sky for a few seconds, the roar of applause that reached him as if muffled. He didn't care much for that token of appreciation, but Nozomi had lit up his face as soon as they started. He tilted his face to see him running left and right eager for praise, smiling and returning kisses and greetings to the crowd.</p><p>He shook his head and sighed in exasperation at his childish demeanor, as if he had never been worshiped as a hero in his timeline. Sooner or later they would have to talk about his insatiable hunger for appreciation.</p><p>He got up from the ground, brushing off his clothes battered by the difficult confrontation. He spotted Kakashi, still lying on the ground like a starfish, and approached him hesitantly. He hadn't passed out, was he? He hadn't even touched him!</p><p>He refused to admit the relief when he saw the two eyes open and alert, which immediately focused on him as soon as he was in sight.</p><p>"What the fuck?" Kakashi growled, his chest rising and falling in pain.</p><p>Obito ignored the accusation and instead stretched out his arm, fingers folded in the sign of reconciliation. Kakashi frowned, wary, but after a moment's hesitation he raised his arm in turn. He remained on the ground, however, which made him raise his eyebrows.</p><p>A strong red color spread from under the mask.</p><p>"I ran out of chakra," Kakashi admitted. "I can not move".</p><p>Obito rolled his eyes and bit his lip firmly so as not to laugh in exasperation. He knelt beside him reaching out to his outstretched fingers hooking them to his own.</p><p>"Your reservations suck as usual," he commented recalling their times as chūnin.</p><p>Kakashi stared at him both offended and curious. "Yours have grown so bad," he observed in turn.</p><p>"I've always had more chakra than you," he reminded him, amused.</p><p>"Too bad you didn't know how to control it," he said.</p><p>Once again it was difficult to hold back the amused expression. Kakashi had a great nerve to provoke him just as he was at an obvious disadvantage, unable to move. He wanted to remind him, so he let go of their fingers and thought it best to sit on his stomach.</p><p>"Ooouf!" he blew out the air under the sudden weight and stared at him in shock.</p><p>"Be okay, Bakashi" he returned the look with superiority. "You don't want to pass out."</p><p>Kakashi resigned himself and dropped his head on the lawn. "For the record," he began, "you didn't kick my ass."</p><p>He grinned in turn. "Neither do you me".</p><p>Both turned to stare at the Uzumaki, who was still running from one side of the field to the other, gathering support and applause. They silently agreed that he was the one who kicked everyone's ass.</p><p>"How much stamina does he have?" Kakashi complained.</p><p>"You can't even imagine it," Obito muttered with a hint of resentment, even though he was thinking of another situation where his stamina was incredible, but in those cases it was always very pleasant.</p><p>They stared at him for a few more minutes, the time that Tenzō re-emerged from wherever Nozomi had thrown him and looked around confused.</p><p>Obito wasn't looking at Kakashi when he said: "The Mangekyo ..."</p><p>"Nh?"</p><p>"You didn't use it".</p><p>There was a long silence before Kakashi sighed. "I never use it".</p><p>He turned to stare at his confused face. The old teammate was looking up at the sky, his face sweaty and his hair more disheveled than usual.</p><p>"It's a huge chakra drain," he admitted. “I'm training, but even just to use it, it takes me minutes to collect the necessary chakra. In battle it is not practical”.</p><p>Obito frowned as he understood the problem. He imagined he was right, he had never had a problem using it even for the huge reserves of chakra that the Hashirama cells had given him, not to mention its almost instantaneous healing ability that allowed him not to lose sight in using it without parsimony.</p><p>"I'll teach you," he finally decided. At the startled start of the man below him he turned to look at Nozomi again. "Only by using both eyes can you make the most of the power of sharingan."</p><p>There was a long silence from Kakashi, then he hesitantly asked:</p><p>"Do you want your eye back?"</p><p>He was hesitant, but it was also clear that if he only asked for it, he would return it. Obito found himself looking up at the sky once more.</p><p>"No, I'm just saying we'll work a lot together," he said crossly at having to point out the obvious, "and I wouldn't want to be held back by your inability to use kamui."</p><p>He felt Kakashi tremble in laughter, then raised his fist to hit him limply in the side.</p><p>"It was always you who were unable to hold me back," he muttered.</p><p>"The roles have changed," he hummed.</p><p>"Who knows, maybe I can make you understand how annoying it was ..."</p><p>“Were you late for this? In revenge against my delays? "</p><p>"Nah, just habit," he admitted lightheartedly.</p><p>Obito made a gesture at him.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They were joined by Tenzō who stared at them in confusion, his round eyes resting on Obito sitting on Kakashi, but seemed to decide not to ask.</p><p>"We lost?" he asked instead.</p><p>"On all fronts," Kakashi confirmed and burst out laughing with Obito.</p><p>Tenzō stared at them still upset, uncertain whether to laugh or not, but the burden of choosing was lifted from him by Nozomi who ran right towards him.</p><p>"Aaaah, I'm so sorry" he yelled, grabbing the user Mokuton by the shoulders, his face so close to him that he found himself blushing.</p><p>"Eh?" he asked.</p><p>"I didn't want to throw you <em>that hard</em>," he explained heartbroken. “I didn't hurt you, did I? I'm sorry!"</p><p>Well, Tenzō didn't want to be thrown either, but that was a fight where things like that were allowed, so why was he apologizing for the Sage?</p><p>He looked for help towards Kakashi, hoping that the senpai would be able to suggest how to react, but his foreman had put on a sulky expression.</p><p>"And I? Don't you apologize for throwing <em>me</em>? "</p><p>Nozomi relieved to stop holding him by the shoulders and faced the two ninjas on the ground.</p><p>"No!" he screamed furiously. "Give thanks that I would not have launched the strongest, you two! You were about to kill yourselves!"</p><p>Obito blushed his ears and looked away as if he hadn't heard, but Kakashi - trying hard not to look like a scolded genin - was even more offended.</p><p>"I was defending myself," he protested. "It is Obito who has gone mad."</p><p>The Uchiha hummed lightheartedly, ignoring the accusation and Nozomi's gaze.</p><p>"What's wrong with you?"</p><p>"I can explain it."</p><p>All the ninjas - except Obito who had seen him arrive - jumped at the voice of the Hokage. Tenzò promptly turned to bow, but with a polite smile the Sandaime let him know that it was not necessary.</p><p>"You wanted to kill me, Hogake-sama?" Kakashi then asked.</p><p>"Forgive the fright" resumed the Hokage. "But Obito acted on my orders."</p><p>Tenzō was happy to see that Nozomi and Kakashi also looked very confused. Only the Uchiha continued to maintain a detached expression, his smile had disappeared at the exact moment the Hokage arrived.</p><p>"So you really want to get rid of me, sir?" Kakashi asked not worried enough.</p><p>“None of that. We just wanted to… test Nozomi ”.</p><p>"Oh?" the person concerned asked, blinking and shifted his gaze to Jiraiya behind the Hokage, to ask for better information.</p><p>The Sandaime smiled at his lost gaze.</p><p>"We wanted to make sure how you would react to seeing Obito threaten the life of a Konoha shinobi."</p><p>Nozomi widened her blue eyes, then looked around embarrassed.</p><p>"Have I, uh, passed the test?"</p><p>The Hokage's eyes sparkled. "With flying colors".</p><p>The Sandaimen paused, where he carefully observed their situation, focusing especially on Kakashi.</p><p>Meanwhile, other ninjas also descended into the arena, in particular the clan leaders. Tenzō recognized the child prodigy of his own ANBU team, Uchiha Itachi, alongside Uchiha Fugaku. He was only thirteen, but his serious eyes were comparable to those of an adult. At that moment they were staring with a strange frown at the katana that Obito had thrown at his feet. The other Uchiha noticed it and, without changing expression, made his vermilion eye shine as he grabbed it. The katana was drawn into a vortex that teleported it into his dimension.</p><p>Tenzō thought that such a technique would be very useful on a mission to carry objects.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Obito didn't like the way that overly serious child kept staring at him.</p><p>He recognized him right away, of course, his appearance on him was very similar to Fugaku's and he hadn't changed much since they first met a few years ago. Thinking back, Obito remembered that he had killed his adorable fellow genin with that katana. He refused to fear that Itachi had recognized him, at the time he still had long hair and Tobi's mask, he had no evidence to connect them.<sup>1</sup></p><p>His attention returned to the Hokage, who had resumed speaking after his careful evaluation.</p><p>"I think I'll leave you in the hands of our doctors for the time being," he considered in his fatherly tone. “As soon as you have the chance, if you do not have serious injuries…”, he paused for a long time, where he stared at Nozomi with an ironic smile, who appeared only slightly sweaty and disheveled, “I ask you to join me in my office. We will finish this formality and deliver your forms to you. I also have some questions to ask you about your skills and I hope you will cooperate”.</p><p>"We can also come immediately!" Nozomi guaranteed, bursting with energy.</p><p>Obito rolled his eyes, but the Sandaime just gave him a condescending smile.</p><p>“I prefer you go through an infirmary check first. Also because I see that our dear Kakashi has finished his chakra "he added smiling a bit sadistic at the ninja lying on the ground.</p><p>"It's all under control," the one assured, giving a limp thumb.</p><p>Exasperated, the Sandaime nodded to the nurses who had remained politely on the sidelines. Obito was forced to leave his chair to allow them to lift Kakashi onto the stretcher, so he brushed off his dusty clothes and walked over to Nozomi.</p><p>"We don't need treatment," he reiterated more abruptly and directly than his companion had been.</p><p>"Just a check to make sure you are really okay and keep me quiet," the Sandaime insisted.</p><p>He looked at him sideways, unimpressed. He knew perfectly well that this was an excuse put in place only to be able to secretly extract some Hashirama cells to study. He regretted having used the mokuton a little, but Nozomi was right: he could not show the full power of the Mangekyo given how much he had abused it in his time as Tobi, it was such a peculiar ability that there was a risk they would recognize him as the <em>masked man</em>.</p><p>At that thought he set his eyes on Itachi again. He was amazed to see the active sharingan studying him from head to toe.</p><p>Under that suspicious look he was almost happy to follow the doctors to the infirmary.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p>"Hokage-sama, will you allow a word?"</p><p>Hiruzen smiled welcoming as Hiashi Hyūga flanked him with an expression more serious and frowning than usual. He wasn't surprised he'd witnessed the sparring and was sure he'd done it by watching the challengers' every move with the byakugan, so he listened carefully to what he had to say.</p><p>"The Uzumaki chakra flow is ... unusual".</p><p>He could have guessed it, considering his clan and the fact that he knew how to use sage arts, but he said nothing while waiting for him to continue.</p><p>“Forgive me Hokage-sama” he resumed after a second of silence, “I've never seen something like it and it is difficult for me to explain it. Apparently there are <em>two</em> chakras within his flow ”.</p><p>That caught his attention. He only knew one case where something like this happened and if it was the right answer then there was much more in Nozomi's story than they had told him. He almost regretted letting Jiraiya accompany the two new ninjas to the infirmary, he would be curious to see his reaction to Hiashi's revelation.</p><p>"As a Jinchuriki?" Hiruzen asked softly.</p><p>It was rare to see that usually calm face curl up in a grimace, but Hiashi just seemed to make an expression of pure confusion.</p><p>“No, not really. I was able to observe that of ... of the Kyūbi" he lowered his voice,"and the two chakras, that of the vessel and that of the demon, have always been strictly separated. The Kyūbi chakra does not circulate in the flow of its vessel's chakra”.</p><p>"In Nozomi-san, instead?"</p><p>“They are very united. Strangers of course, but not completely separate and this alien chakra flows freely in him. For example, it is as if someone had mixed oil and water in the same bowl. Likewise they continue united in the same flow in harmony, but are distinguishable. In a Jinchūriki, on the other hand, water and oil are separated in the bowl by something physical ”.</p><p>"The seal".</p><p>"I guess so," he humbly confirmed.</p><p>Hiruzen longed for his pipe, because when he smoked his mind cleared and he was able to take such news more lightly.</p><p>He didn't say aloud the suspicion of him, because if he was corrected the consequences could be really dangerous. If Nozomi really had a Bijū inside him and the chakra of the tailed beast flowed free in his circle, it meant that he did not have a containing seal.</p><p>It meant that it could manifest itself at any time, regardless of the wishes of its vessel.</p><p>“Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to study it better,” Hiashi continued. "During the fight he never drew from the foreign chakra, using only his own, and for this reason I cannot put forward certain hypotheses on the type of chakra".</p><p>"So our friend may or may not be a Jinchūriki," he realized. "We don't know who or what that second chakra belongs to."</p><p>By now they had arrived at the Hokage palace. Barely extending his senses, he could realize that the ANBU he had asked to look after Naruto was quickly losing patience. He smiled to himself at the thought of that brat that could exasperate even the most trained shinobi.</p><p>In light of the new information, he wondered whether to continue with his plan or not. Obito had been right, Nozomi had been quick to take the defense of a teammate. But it could mean little, since as a foreigner he had to prove himself worthy of trust.</p><p>Now Hiruzen knew that he was hiding something that could be potentially dangerous and the fact that he had contact with Kiri, that he had participated in a coup, made him even more suspicious.</p><p><em>I hope your naivety has not brought us spies in the house</em>, he remembered Danzō's harsh words and in that moment regretted the speed with which he had decided to trust.</p><p>Looking up at the windows again, he reasoned that it was still time, he could send Naruto home and prevent him from meeting Nozomi, so that he would still remain unaware of the relative's presence.</p><p>Obito's threat flashed through his mind and he realized he couldn't do it. If he had ignored that ultimatum that he had imposed on him, he would have implemented it, making everything much more dangerous. Besides, the fact that Obito had been so hasty in making such a threat could mean that they had no plan against Konoha; if that had been the case he would not have exposed himself in that rash way.</p><p>He quickly decided how to move: he would have been much more cautious than initially thought and would still have kept the two Uzumaki separated, but he would have allowed Nozomi to get to know Naruto to quiet Obito as a sop.</p><p>It was still a gamble, but he didn't have much of a choice.</p><p>He then turned to Hiashi, who remained politely silent as he waited for the Hokage to make his considerations.</p><p>"I would like you and your clan members to monitor Uzumaki Nozomi, investigating this particular stranger chakra that he appears to possess."</p><p>"Yes, sir," he nodded gravely.</p><p>"Fired".</p><p>With a formal bow, Hiashi shunshined away.</p><p>Left alone, Hiruzen stared at the stairs as if the very idea of going up to the building exhausted him.</p><p><em>My pipe…</em> he cried with the consolation that in the office he would have the tobacco to light it. He regretted his time off, which lasted too short for his liking. He felt too old for all these machinations, he had to find a successor other than Danzō as soon as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>֎</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"We could have gone directly with the Hokage," Nozomi complained as the ninja who was monitoring him confirmed that everything was okay.</p><p>The same had happened a few minutes earlier with Obito, leaning against the wall waiting.</p><p>"The procedure involves this, brat" Jiraiya called him putting a hand on the blonde mop. "Don't complain too much."</p><p>"But can we go now?" Obito asked impatiently.</p><p>Kakashi moaned theatrically from his hospital bed. "Won't you stay at my bedside?"</p><p>"Kill yourself".</p><p>"You've gotten really bad."</p><p>Nozomi rolled his eyes and when they were out of the infirmary pushed Obito annoyed.</p><p>"Why are you so mean to Kakashi-sensei?" he protested sulkily.</p><p>"Keep your voice down," Jiraiya said, looking around worried. "You can't call him that anymore."</p><p>Obito gave him just a glance. "Why should I be nice to garbage?"</p><p>“Admit it you only do it because you like being the aloof one for once. Tsundere! "</p><p>He grinned at the reddening of his companion's cheeks and in all spite Obito made his tongue out.</p><p>On the way many people stopped to stare at them, mostly Konoha shinobi who had witnessed the fight. Nozomi were used to being stared at by strangers, he had had to get used to it as a child so he smiled at each of them in a dazzling way, always letting the others look down.</p><p>Obito seemed much more shy to those attentions and his expression only relaxed imperceptibly when they entered the Hokage building, away from prying eyes.</p><p>But at that point it was Nozomi's turn to frown. Because there was just the hint of a chakra, something that could only belong to a child, who was very familiar to him. Not to mention the perception of a dark and dense cluster of chakras that seemed to complement what flowed from his navel.</p><p>There was only one person who could correspond to both sensations. So he looked at Jiraiya for explanations. The old sannin was smiling with satisfaction, remaining silent at the obvious hopeful question he had in his eyes.</p><p>It was only when they reached the door that he turned to look at him.</p><p>"You made a good impression," he said with a wink.</p><p>Then he knocked and opened at the affirmative answer.</p><p>The first thing Nozomi saw was the blond child.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto had decided to spend his time drawing, so he had taken the scrolls from the drawers and the various fountain pens. Of course, the ANBU had tried to stop him but had stopped at the exact moment he realized that with his attempts he was staining the entire precious desk with ink.</p><p>So he kept drawing what he would be like when he grew up once he became a fantastic and respected ninja and the greatest Hokage in history.</p><p>Jiji hadn't scolded him for rummaging through his things and messing with the scrolls, to tell the truth he seemed very worried and thoughtful.</p><p>Naruto ignored it for a few minutes, watching him closely. Because people thought he was stupid but in reality he always checked the mood of adults to see if there was trouble or not.</p><p>When he was pretty sure he wasn't angry, he asked:</p><p>"Why am I here?"</p><p>He actually didn't mind being there, so he had the chance to settle in his future village control office, but there was always a reason when he kept him there and usually it was never good reasons. Unless he was there to inform him that after seeing those ninjas fight he realized he was too old to be Hokage and wanted to pass him his hat.</p><p>“We are waiting for people”.</p><p>Naruto made a worried and reluctant grimace, that was not a good answer.</p><p>"Who?" he insisted.</p><p>But he got no answer, because someone knocked on the door. Suddenly worried about the strange sensation he felt, as if something inside his navel was shaking, he got out of his chair and waited. Someone would come in and that someone made his heart beat faster even before he saw them.</p><p>The door opened and for a moment Naruto thought he was looking at himself in a mirror that gave him the same incredulous and surprised expression. Only then he realized that it couldn't be a mirror, because the person who entered the room was a much taller adult than him, not a child.</p><p>Accompanying him was also the old man who had kept Jiji company during the fight at the stadium and the scary shinobi who had defended him in the park. But he barely noticed them, too concentrated to stare with so much eyes at the man who looked <em>so much</em> like him.</p><p>Naruto wasn't stupid. Everyone said otherwise, but he wasn't and was able to connect the dots and understand. There was only one case in which children and adults looked so much alike, he saw it at the end of each lesson at the Academy when he went home, and thinking about it made his heart beat faster with hope.</p><p>"<em>Dad</em>?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>1. In Itachi's novels (non-canonical material) it is said that Itachi awakens the sharingan at the age of six / seven while he is a genin, during a mission that ended badly. Their job was to escort the Daimyo of Fire, when a masked figure with the sharingan (Tobi) came out of nowhere to kill the Daimyo. The man seemed to be intangible to the blows and during the small fight he killed one of Itachi's teammates with a katana, an event that upset him to the point of awakening the sharingan. Tobi was unable to kill the Daimyo because he sensed the approach of an ANBU team, but the event obviously remained imprinted on Itachi. Obviously, seeing him fight with that katana, he immediately became suspicious. And this is why Obito doesn't use all the power of kamui.</p><p> </p><p>In the first part of the manga Kakashi never uses Mangekyo, not even against Itachi. Kamui's first appearance occurs in the Kazekage Rescue Saga. So I assumed that Kakashi didn't know how to use mangekyo sharingan well before shippuden and that he trained to do so in the two and a half years of "narrative void". Obviously here he will learn much earlier thanks to Obito: P</p><p>If I'm not mistaken we have also arrived at the last Italian publication, so from here on it is unpublished for everyone!<br/>Also notice that maybe I will be forced to make biweekly updates starting from June ... The chapters already written are ending ;__;<br/>Anyway, thank you very much for all the love you are showing to this story! &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Uzumaki Naruto!!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Before he could say anything, the Sandaime stepped forward.<br/>"No, Naruto-kun," he said softly, "this man is not your father".<br/>He felt bad for the disappointment he saw breaking into the huge and very clear blue eyes.<br/>"He is your uncle, Uzumaki Nozomi".</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Dad?"</p><p>It was the little question just mentioned, said in a voice too hopeful and hesitant, that plunged him back into the situation in which he found himself.</p><p>It was so alienating to be in front of himself many years younger, to see himself and to really realize that this was another reality. Seeing Jiji, Jiraiya or little Sasuke again was not even remotely comparable to the strangeness he felt in seeing himself. Little Naruto - the legitimate Naruto of this timeline - made him feel like an intruder, trapped in an illegitimate place, a prisoner of something as boundless as the sky.</p><p>At least he didn't have to simulate the confusion he felt and it made his heart beat furiously.</p><p>Nozomi looked around the room, first fixing his eyes on the Hokage, then on Jiraiya and finally back on Naruto.</p><p>"What?" he asked, even though the real question he had in the tip of his tongue was: <em>already?</em></p><p>It was too early, he hadn't expected the Sandaime to introduce him to Naruto so soon, only after two days of staying in Konoha. He had expected weeks, if not months, to pass before Hokage told him about it; having to complete missions, prove worthy of trust.</p><p>Trust.</p><p>He remembered what had happened shortly before in the arena, the alleged test to which the Hokage had placed him together with Obito. He also remembered that Obito had threatened to kidnap Naruto.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Before he could say anything, the Sandaime stepped forward.</p><p>"No, Naruto-kun," he said softly, "this man is not your father".</p><p>He felt bad for the disappointment he saw breaking into the huge and very clear blue eyes.</p><p>"He is your uncle, Uzumaki Nozomi".</p><p>The boy's eyes lit up again, this time with disbelief. Nozomi knew perfectly well what his younger counterpart was thinking at that moment.</p><p>
  <em>Family.</em>
</p><p>He felt dizzy as he really realized that this Naruto could have a family.</p><p>Nozomi roused himself, realizing that he couldn't keep staring at the child in that surprised way. He then pinned on his face the most welcoming smile of his repertoire and crouched at his height. There were many things he wanted to do with him, take him to eat ramen, accompany him to school, prepare his bento and snack, push his swing, play ninja ... all things he had never had. This Naruto could have them! He would give them all.</p><p>But first he had to carry out the staging.</p><p>"Hi, what's your name?"</p><p>He did not understand why he felt nervous, he was talking to himself after all, he could not be wrong because he knew what he had to say in order not to be unpleasant.</p><p>He received a look still amazed and uncertain, as if the child was afraid of seeing him disappear in smoke to reveal a joke.</p><p>"Uzumaki Naruto," he revealed, then frowned. "Are you really my uncle?"</p><p>"I'm Minato's younger brother," he explained not knowing exactly how to move.</p><p>At that moment Naruto did not know anything about his parents, he did not know that his father was the Yondaime, he did not know about his mother and even less did he know about the Kyūbi. He had to be careful what he said.</p><p>"Is Minato my dad?" in fact the child asked curiously.</p><p>Hiruzen intervened before he could give an answer and said too much.</p><p>"He was your father," he corrected. “As you know he's dead, Naruto-kun. Let's not talk about it ”.</p><p>There was a small light of suffering in the blue eyes of the child and Nozomi remembered all the times that with little tact the same man had reminded him that it was useless to talk about the dead every time he tried to ask him something about his parents. He felt something roar in his stomach and the sense of protection towards that little self skyrocket, supplanting the sense of alienation.</p><p>"So he had a son ..." he murmured to continue their play. "I did not know".</p><p>"We'll talk about this later," the Sandaime intervened, throwing him a knowing look.</p><p>Naruto kept looking at him hesitantly, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed as if he were concentrating too much.</p><p>"Where have you been?" he asked him and there was a small tone of accusation in his voice.</p><p>
  <em>Why weren't you here with me?</em>
</p><p>It was once again the Sandaime who answered.</p><p>“Nozomi lived alone outside of Konoha for many years, we were not aware of him. He arrived here only two days ago ”.</p><p>Naruto's eyes widened even more and moved to Obito as well.</p><p>"You are the very strong ninjas who were fighting before!" he recognized them with excitement, cheeks flushing.</p><p>"Exactly, brat!" he guaranteed returning the same incredulous smile. "Have you seen us then?"</p><p>"Absolutely yes!" he exclaimed raising his hands into fists. "Ne, ne, I too will become a very strong ninja!"</p><p>"I'm sure, dattebayo!"</p><p>There was a very long silence, in which everyone seemed to hold their breath and Nozomi could distinctly hear Obito's curses against him.</p><p>Oh-oh, he thought while in his head the instruction was repeated not to use that too specific and distinctive exclamation with others.</p><p>Naruto widened his eyes more and more, amazed.</p><p>"I also say dattebayo, dattebayo!" he whispered in disbelief.</p><p>He took the ball in an attempt to correct his mistake.</p><p>"Really? Swear, dattebayo! "</p><p>"I swear, dattebayo!" he shuffled, looking offended not to be believed right away.</p><p>"You really said it, dattebayo!"</p><p>"Of course I say it, dattebayo!"</p><p>"Dattebayo!"</p><p>Fortunately they were interrupted before the situation escalated, with all due respect to Obito who seemed ready to throw himself out the window to another dattebayo.</p><p>The interruption manifested itself with a polite knock on the door, which Hiruzen caught instantly.</p><p>"Come on in".</p><p>Of all the people Nozomi could imagine, at the door he saw the last one he would have expected: Iruka-sensei. And he was so young… even younger than him.</p><p>"Did you summon me, Hokage-sama?" he asked in his usual polite tone, but with anxious eyes in front of the other shinobi's presence.</p><p>"Oh, Iruka," the old man greeted him warmly. “Here you are. Would you be kind enough to take Naruto-kun back to class? "</p><p>That request surprised Nozomi, who almost had the instinct to reach out and hold on to that little version of himself. They had just met and it was too short, why he was already pushing them away?</p><p>Naruto also seemed to be disappointed at that discovery.</p><p>"Can't I stay here?" he whimpered stubbornly.</p><p>The reprimand came quickly from Iruka, now hardened by the Academy.</p><p>"Don't disobey the Hokage. And how many times have I told you not to skip classes to come and disturb him ?! "</p><p>"I invited Naruto-kun here," the Sandaime said quickly. "But now he can go back to his duties to him."</p><p>"No, I ..." the child tried to resist, but saw him swallow the protest in front of the cold glance of the teacher.</p><p>Nozomi tried to intervene, hoping to be able to gain more time together.</p><p>"Can he wait for us outside and then we can go home together?" he proposed.</p><p>If Naruto grinned over the moon at the prospect, Hokage's eyes flashed dangerously. He found himself being pierced by a highly suspicious and cautious look, it was the first time he had looked at him like this since he had returned to Konoha and he was breathless. Too late he realized that he had made a mistake in showing himself too impatient to have Naruto. But above all his heart became heavy in realizing that the Hokage had no intention of giving him Naruto, he would not allow them to live together.</p><p>He would leave Naruto alone once again.</p><p>He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to drive away the negative emotions.</p><p>“I would like to meet my family,” he said softly.</p><p>And that seemed to soften at least in part the cold expression.</p><p>"We have to discuss your fight and other matters, things not suitable for a child."</p><p>Naruto frowned and protested, “I'm not a child! I'm big and I'll become Hokage, you stupid old man!"</p><p>"Naruto!" thundered Iruka, the tone of a teacher who had always managed to silence him in childhood and even at that moment Nozomi had the instinct to bite her tongue. "Moderate your language and show respect, you are talking to the Hokage. For this you have just taken a punishment! "</p><p>The boy's eyes widened, hurt, but he didn't let go.</p><p>“It's not fair! I want to stay! " he yelled, clenching his fists.</p><p>At this point even Obito intervened.</p><p>"For what we have to tell each other he can stay very well" he pointed out. "And I don't see why he shouldn't come home with his uncle afterwards," he added in a low growl.</p><p>Nozomi shivered, perceiving the energy of the chakra that the mate was sliding under the skin, a clear threat that immediately alarmed the Hokage. He put his hand under his desk, near the seal that would activate the ANBU alarm just in case, but kept his gaze fixed on the two shinobi.</p><p>"We will discuss this as soon as Naruto is out," he ordered.</p><p>The kid's blue eyes went wet, his body seemed too small in the midst of all those tense adults. The only one who kept his cool was Jiraiya, but he knew well that it was just appearance, and if the tension broke out, Nozomi had no idea what he would do, who he would side with. They also couldn't blow everything up right away, they couldn't afford to be hunted by Konoha. Clan Uchiha needed them, <em>Sasuke and Itachi needed him</em>, not to mention Naruto himself, or Sai and the other children in ROOT.</p><p>They had a mission to accomplish.</p><p>"Okay," he whispered, giving up.</p><p>Naruto's eyes widened, betrayed. "No! Not okay, 'tebayo! "</p><p>Nozomi felt a dull pain in his chest when he saw the expression that little Naruto made, in perceiving the strong negative emotions that Iruka was feeling towards the child.</p><p>"Naruto, another word and there will be trouble!"</p><p>It hurt.</p><p>It hurt to remember that even Iruka had looked at him that way at first.</p><p>He swallowed the bitter, trying to make it easier. He put a hand on Naruto's little head, who seemed to freeze at that gesture and looked at him with wide eyes, the expression of someone who was hungry for gestures of affection.</p><p>"Go to class," he urged him. "You have to study if you want to become a very strong ninja, 'tebayo! Then you will show me your progress, okay?"</p><p>He would do everything possible for the Sandaime to entrust the child to him, to become his family. He would have helped and encouraged him, he would have given him all the affection he had needed as a child and no one had ever granted him. He would help him study, train, make him stronger than he was at that age. If he could improve the future, then he would improve himself too, making himself a beloved child and with a family.</p><p>For this he had to make sure that the Sandaime trusted him.</p><p>Naruto looked at him with watery eyes.</p><p>"I will see you again?" he asked, with the evident terror that he would disappear.</p><p>"Obviously! Whenever you want, ”he guaranteed with a bright smile. "It's a promise and I never fail my word!"</p><p>The child sniffed at him, apparently reassured, and took courage to get away from him and reach Iruka. The master did not touch him, he left a certain distance between them; instead he bowed politely to the ninjas.</p><p>"I'm sorry for this interruption."</p><p>"No problem" guaranteed the visibly reassured Sandaime and with a last farewell the two left.</p><p>Nozomi made a face when the door was closed, leaving only a last impression of the child's pleading gaze, after which he looked back at the Sandaime. Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to say something.</p><p>"If I had known about him," Nozomi then said a little melancholy, "I would have come here immediately".</p><p>Hiruzen gave a casual smile.</p><p>"Naruto's existence is secret, his very origins are known only to a few and trusted shinobi."</p><p>Nozomi nodded sympathetically. "I guess my brother's legacy was difficult to manage".</p><p>“Guessed it. We did everything possible so that the many enemies of Konoha's Yellow Flash knew nothing of its existence ”. He paused for a long time, letting him take on seriousness, as if to make it clear that what he was about to add was something just as, if not more, secret. “He is also the Kyūbi no Jinchūriki”.</p><p>He definitely did not expect him to trust him so much already to reveal even this fundamental detail. Not knowing how to react, he ventured to glance at Obito for support. The Sandaime intercepted it immediately.</p><p>"You don't seem surprised."</p><p>He decided to go off the cuff, hoping for luck.</p><p>"I'm kind of a sensor and I realized Naruto had too much chakra even for a Uzumaki child," he explained. "Not to mention that usually Uzumaki are ideal as containers of Bijū and it is known that the ninth Bijū belongs to Konoha, so it was easy to guess."</p><p>Hiruzen accepted his explanation with an affirmative nod. He took his pipe and stared at it for a few seconds, as if he was looking for the right words to start with.</p><p>“Naruto's mother, Uzumaki Kushina, was the former Jinchūriki. Almost eight years ago, during the birth, the accident occurred ... apparently caused by Madara ... and the fox escaped her control. She and Minato had to sacrifice their lives to stop it and sealed it in the body of her son born that same night. This is an S-level secret known to few shinobi, and as such, you won't have to leave this room. It is absolutely forbidden to talk about this and, even more, to report it to Uzumaki Naruto! " he concluded imperiously. "I'm giving you great trust to tell you, Uzumaki Nozomi, I hope you are aware of it."</p><p>Nozomi imitated a small bow.</p><p>"I understand. Thank you for your trust,” he said seriously.</p><p>It must have been the right answer, because Hiruzen smiled and softened his gaze. Nevertheless, the following words sounded no less harsh and bitter.</p><p>"For these reasons, I ask you not to look for Naruto."</p><p>He blinked in surprise, it was the last thing he expected to hear after that meeting, even if he should have imagined it. Too incredulous to answer it was Obito who took a step forward.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>Hiruzen looked at both of them seriously, his face impassive and hard as stone.</p><p>“Naruto is a precious person to this village and his safety is paramount. Until we can totally trust you, I can't entrust him to you ”.</p><p>Obito started to protest, but the words faded into a barely hinted growl when imperiously Hiruzen raised a hand to silence him. He was an elderly man, with a fragile appearance, but he was still the Sandaime Hokage, the God of Shinobi, the Professor: if he wanted his appearance could inspire fear and obedience with a single gesture.</p><p>"Obito, the only reason you weren't reported as nukenin is that we thought you were dead, but that's what you've been all these years: a deserter who fled his village."</p><p>"You…"</p><p>“I understand your grievances and that we have not been able to keep your trust. But it was a time of war and you are a shinobi, you had to go back beyond everything. You were a nukenin and I should have arrested you for your betrayal ”.</p><p>"Do you want to try?" he challenged him by darkening the tone.</p><p>The Sandime looked at him annoyed.</p><p>"I didn't and I won't do it," he replied. “You're back, that's what matters. But given what has happened and your behavior so far, you will understand the lack of trust. You will have to prove that you are really still a ninja of Konoha because I entrust you with Uzumaki Naruto ”. He turned to Nozomi. “As for you… there are still many things about your past that are not clear to me. Jiraiya guarantees for you and I trust him, so I have decided to welcome you to the Village. But as long as I don't know who you are, you will be under observation and probation, your freedom to move around Konoha will be limited. You know you might have a family here, little Naruto might become one, but for that to happen you'll have to be perfectly honest with me. So I ask you: if there is something you want to tell me, something that you kept hidden in our first meeting, this is a good time to talk. It's just us in the room, no one else but me and Jiraiya will know about it. You have my word".</p><p>Nozomi hesitated and bit the inside of his cheek. Those words worried him and he didn't know what to do. From the way he spoke, the Sandaime seemed to have understood something and this alarmed him. It was better that he knew nothing of his journey from the future, Hiruzen at this moment was too influenced by Danzo and feared the consequences if he confided in his adviser. Before the truth could be revealed to him, Danzo had to be rendered harmless.</p><p>Had he said something that had betrayed them? Had he accidentally used Kurama's chakra during the fight?</p><p><strong><em>No</em></strong>, the fox in his mind reassured him, nothing like that, <strong><em>you've been careful. It must be something else</em></strong>.</p><p>He contracted the expression. Kurama was right, it was impossible that he had understood anything: the time travel option was so absurd that no one believed him even when he said it. It was impossible that jiji had recognized him.</p><p>He closed his eyes and shook his head.</p><p>“I have already said everything, Hokage-sama. There is nothing else important, you can rest assured ".</p><p>A grimace passed over his face creased with his wrinkles. It was evident that he did not believe him, Nozomi wondered why he had suddenly stuck so hard, when up until that moment he had shown himself to be kind and trusting towards him. What had changed that made him suspicious all of a sudden?</p><p>"Okay, I understand," old Hokage said. “After all, blood tests will confirm your genealogy or not”.</p><p>He stopped abruptly, noticing the blush spread across Nozomi's face. That reaction made him worry and he knew he wasn't wrong when the young man replied.</p><p>"Actually ... I didn't undergo the blood extraction," he admitted. "<em>We</em> didn’t," he then corrected, moving his eyes to Obito.</p><p>The pipe nearly fell from his lips at that revelation. He had counted on the medical examination after the fight to be able to make sure that Nozomi was really a Uzumaki and not an impostor. He then looked at Jiraiya, incredulous that he had allowed it ... that the doctors had allowed it after he had given clear instructions.</p><p>But the Sannin shrugged.</p><p>"They both appealed to the medical code established by Nidaime Hokage in the third year of regency, fourth law of the second paragraph," he quoted.</p><p>He arched his eyebrows, not expecting such a cunning move. Tobirama-sensei had created it to be able to regulate medical examinations, since at the beginning of Konoha no shinobi of a clan or with a kekkei genkai underwent medical assistance, fearing that the doctors might steal the secrets in their body. Because of this, many shinobi had not received adequate care and had died in past time.</p><p>Tobirama had then made sure that there were at least five doctors representing each great clan, who would take care of their relatives so as not to steal the secrets of the clan. With time and the unity of Konoha that became more and more close, the clans had merged with each other and the secrecy was even abandoned in some cases, so this need was put into the background and many ninja began to let themselves be visited even without the guarantors of the Clan. At the moment only the Uchiha, the Hyūga and the Aburame always and faithfully applied the fourth law and he had almost forgotten it. This was a hindrance, because there were no other Uzumaki shinobi who could visit Nozomi, so by appealing to that law he simply made it clear that he would manage his own care himself and would not allow anyone to know the secrets he kept in his body. As for Obito...</p><p>"There was an Uchiha doctor," he said harshly, "why didn't you let him visit you?"</p><p>Obito smiled opinionatedly and raised his chin defiantly.</p><p>"Law 4.1: <em>If the shinobi has injuries equal to or less than the first degree, he can refuse medical treatment</em>" he quoted without abandoning the annoying smile. "The preliminary visit gave me a zero grade, so ..."</p><p>Hiruzen smoked his annoyance through his pipe. He had to admit that his hands were tied, the law he as Hokage protected in this case was against him.</p><p>He was silent, trying to figure out how he could move. He looked back at Nozomi, letting it be seen how much their refusal bothered him.</p><p>"This doesn't help your cause," he pointed out. "It's a suspicious attitude."</p><p>"So are you going to force me?" he asked, frowning.</p><p>"No" he assured resigned, the law was still the law. “But as I said, it will be harder for me to trust you. This means that even the hypothetical custody of Naruto could be rethought ".</p><p>It was a blow to the heart for Nozomi. He knew what he was going through when he decided it, but hearing him said it was still unpleasant, especially now that he had been able to see Naruto. It was… unfair, just like he had said the past self.</p><p>But he couldn't do it. Nobody knew what would result from his blood tests, there was a risk that they would realize that his DNA was the same as Naruto's ... and at that point he would have to explain everything.</p><p>"I understand," he said then, trying to keep his gaze fixed and his voice steady.</p><p>Hiruzen made a face, perhaps he expected that after that blackmail he would review his position. He sighed wearily, pulling the pipe out of his mouth.</p><p>"So there is something inside you that you are hiding," he said resigned.</p><p>Nozomi narrowed his eyes, without realizing his body had tensed. Inside he could not help thinking that in reality it was the man in front of him who hid what he had inside him for more than half of his life. He was twelve fucking years when he had to deal with it, just because a traitor had betrayed the secret. Part of him didn't want to know how long or else he would have kept it from him.</p><p>He took a long sigh. “I'm just protecting my clan's secrets. I'm the last to know them and I have a duty to do so ".</p><p>Hiruzen darkened. "Uzushio and Konoha are allies," he recalled.</p><p>Nozomi snapped before he realized it. "They <em>were</em>. Seeing as you did a really bad job and let my village be destroyed, ”he spat.</p><p>In the room he fell silent and only in that moment he realized that he had raised his tone of voice, that he had become embittered. Hiruzen looked at him with a slight guilt that veiled his eyes, not only that: Jiraiya also seemed amazed by that shot.</p><p>He tried to compose himself, swallowed and clenched his fists to stop the shaking of his hands.</p><p>"I'm not the only one who has to prove myself trustworthy," he said then, looking at the Hokage. "Before I share any secrets, I need to know that you will not betray <em>us</em> again."</p><p>He was no longer acting, he realized immediately. Even though he was using Uzushio's pretext, he really meant those words. Of course, his distrust did not stem from a broken alliance, but from everything that jiji had always hidden from him about Konoha. Hiruzen had betrayed him by hiding the truth from him about many things, about his birth to begin with, but also about the Uchiha Clan. Sasuke was not the only one to feel betrayed in discovering it, even Nozomi had seen the world collapse on him. He had had to face the rottenness of his village, with the consequences of him, when he had always lived in the bubble of a perfect Konoha.</p><p>It wasn't perfect. Hiruzen had allowed too many things to happen.</p><p>Nozomi didn't want to be betrayed yet.</p><p>The Sandaime sighed, recognizing a truth in his words.</p><p>"I understand," he said. "I won't insist," he promised.</p><p>Nozomi let out a sigh, at least partially relieved that the Hokage had let go of at least one thing. However, he remained at attention, trying to figure out what his next move would be. Hiruzen was silent for a few seconds, then his expression suddenly changed from worried to jovial. He gave him a smile as he pulled out some seals and set them on the desk.</p><p>“So, you have proven your worth. I would say the Jōnin rank is more than deserved,” he observed. “You showed off techniques that were more than interesting, which impressed many of us. Could I ask you some questions about it? "</p><p>Nozomi exchanged a look with Obito, shrugging. They had prepared an answer for each of the techniques they had shown, so they didn't have to fear anything. In fact, even the Uchiha nodded, without however abandoning the dry fold of the lips. Evidently he was still angry with the Hokage for the Naruto matter.</p><p>"So, let's start with you, Obito ..."</p><p>“I can use the Mokuton, yes”, he preceded him, rolling his eyes, “thanks to the Hashirama cells implanted inside me. As I said, half of my body is made up of the body of a Hashirama clone, the Zetsu. Madara got it from the cells he managed to steal from Hashirama during their fight, after he used Inzagi to save his life, "he repeated mechanically once again.</p><p>Hiruzen tried a tight smile. “This is very strange to hear and brings a lot of questions. What are the Zetsu? Why have the cells adapted so well to you? "</p><p>Obito shrugged. “I only told you what I know. As for Madara, he too seemed surprised that I could use the mokuton ”.</p><p>"I understand, but tell me: Did Madara just talk to you?"</p><p>He replied with a disgusted face. "What else was he supposed to do ?!"</p><p>"By chance, train you?"</p><p>The question seemed very studied and Nozomi sweated a bit cold, but Obito kept an illegible bronze face.</p><p>"No," he lied to him easily.</p><p>"Your way of fighting is very similar to his" he explained then. "Too similar".</p><p>"I use Uchiha techniques and Uchiha taijutsu," Obito noted in exasperation. "It would be stranger if I fought like a Hyūga frankly."</p><p>Nozomi bit his tongue to keep from laughing, but Hiruzen didn't seem to appreciate the joke given the face he made. He then moved to Nozomi, who tried not to let it be understood how amused he was.</p><p>“But you reminded me of our Nidaime. Maybe you don't know, but he was my teacher ”.</p><p>This time Nozomi had no qualms about smiling brightly, after all it was part of the play. During the war, both while they still believed they could save the old world, and when they were working on the seal, Tobirama had taught Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all his techniques. This was how he had learned how to create his own hiraishin, learned to use seals and mastered all the water techniques he knew. By now those techniques were part of his repertoire and he could not stay without them, especially because they were the only ones he could explain without having to pull the Kyūbi in the middle. Jiraiya and Obito had easily found an explanation as to why he knew them, even the kage bushin and the hiraishin.</p><p>He was excited and even flattered.</p><p>“Oh, this is great! He is my hero, dattebayo! " he cheered smoothly, now that he could say the funny expression without arousing suspicion. "I mean, he was really a genius and he invented so many things and he knew so many things about Uzushio!"</p><p>Hiruzen blinked, perhaps a little surprised by all that enthusiasm and tried to say something, but Nozomi didn't give him a chance, quickly resuming speaking.</p><p>"So, you see, when I went to the toads they later managed to save Mom's scrolls and since they were the only thing I had left of her, I read them all. And there was this parchment about teleporting ... not with a shunshin, just a teleportation, a space-time technique. First you're here and then you're there, so in a second and ..."</p><p>"I know how a space-time technique works ..." he tried to stop him, but Nozomi was now gone.</p><p>“It was too cool, so I wanted to learn it, but Fukasaku-sensei said I was still too young and that I had to learn other things first. But I insisted. Like a lot. And he told me that Tobirama-sama also trained in other techniques before inventing hiraishin. And then me: <em>who is Tobirama-sama?</em> And he:<em> he is the inventor of hiraishin, he invented many of the techniques known in the Land of Fire</em>," he said, imitating the voice of the old toad. “So I was like: <em>cool! Can I learn those too?</em> And Tobirama has invented so many and they are all so amazing! But my favorite is kage bushin, I could use it to play cards and ... "</p><p>"It's nice to see you so excited!" Hiruzen intervened, breaking his word. He had been trying to do it for a while, at the first pause of two seconds, but the boy had spoken without breathing.</p><p>Nozomi widened his smile and, fearing that he would resume vomiting words, the Hokage continued: "Our library has a large section dedicated to Nidaime, I’m sure you will be welcome there".</p><p>The Uzumaki was enthusiastic, but Obito had to bite the inside of his cheeks in order not to roll his eyes and burst out laughing. Nozomi in the library, sure. It would only last two seconds before he was kicked out for making a noise or knocking something over. Even though he was posing as a nerd now, Hiruzen made a mistake in thinking that he had the same passion for studying as Minato.</p><p>"Anyway, I'd say that's all," concluded the Sandaime. He did not know if it was just like that or if he was afraid that Nozomi would start talking again without restraint.</p><p>He tapped a seal with his chakra and from the two scrolls appeared standard ninja uniforms, an identification tag, a brow band, and some paperwork to fill out.</p><p>“There are all the paperwork for your insertion. I ask you the kindness to send them to the appropriate department as soon as possible ". He took the two ninja headbands and handed them to the two young men. “These are yours”.</p><p>Nozomi took his own in awe. He felt a strong heat in his stomach as his fingers touched the cold metal, a warmth that reminded him of what he had felt years ago, when it was Iruka who put it on his forehead. That hitae-ate represented everything for Nozomi: it was the symbol of what he wanted to be, of his loyalty, of his dream. Being able to own it again was the definitive return home. Naruto - or Nozomi it was - was nothing without his forehead. He gripped the sash tight, already eager to put it on, and looked up at the Sandaime. The old man had a sweet smile, softened by the clear emotion in his blue eyes.</p><p>"Welcome to Konoha," he said.</p><p>Nozomi smiled genuine, warmed by that thought.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here's a new chapter full of chatter! I mean, I know everyone believed that Naruto was already going with his new parents, but things aren't that simple. It will take a while longer, although I promise the moments between the three of them will not be lacking! Hiruzen will have to do his best to keep the baby at bay hahahahah<br/>Anyway, a preview on the next chapter: there will be a flashback! A moment between Obito and Nozomi before Jiraiya meets, their first kiss &lt;3 I'm very excited about this !!!<br/>Tell me your opinions, what you think and everything else! Seeing how much the story excites you motivates me a lot to write!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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